Nothing Changes in a Week

A Ranma Fanfic by RVincent

        Straight-foreword lemon warning/hentai disclaimer, don’t read if you are under 18 or offended by sex. Comments/Flames are of course welcome, I’ll read anything you send me, I get lonely. Just a little style note, I didn’t do that one thing where you try to introduce the character by describing them and have the person guess who it is your describing, we’re all Ranma fans here and we should know what the characters look like, if you don’t then you should buy more anime. I don’t own Ranma ½, it’s not my brainchild and it is copywrite of it’s respective companies and individuals, I take no claim to it. This fanfic can be distributed far and wide without asking me as long as the text is not altered in any way, thanks a lot and enjoy.


Anything in “Quotations” is actually spoken

Anything in *Astrics* is to be considered a thought of the characters (Usually Ranma)

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        It’s a normal walk to school, as usual Ranma is balancing precariously upon the wall, all the while running at high speed and somehow avoiding a very painful fate. Akane’s running below, giving it her all just to keep up with the speedy martial artist. “Hey stupid slow down, we’re half-way early for once!” she punctuates her point by kicking a stray stone at his head. He deftly dodges it, but nearly falls, in retaliation he gives her a raspberry and speeds up, “Ha, ha, bet you can’t catch me!” Ranma continues on with his run, while simultaneously dodging various projectiles aimed his way. Soon enough his path ends and he catapults himself off the brick wall and into the courtyard of the school.


        “Like I keep telling you, you’re too slow, how do you expect to beat a martial artist like me running like that!?” Ranma’s yelling is so loud that Akane could hear him over a half block away but she is closing fast. Too fast for Ranma’s comfort, soon she’s right there in front of him, she runs past at top speed not even slowing, but what Ranma does not see for one reason or another is the large mallet that she is holding above her head, now planted in his head. He falls like a rock and Akane just continues her run until it carries her all the way to class. When she gets there she looks out the second floor window at Ranma “He’s not moving...” a look of concern winks over her face but it’s gone before even she can even feel it “Stupid jerk” she spins around on her heel and takes her seat in the class room not even giving a second thought to her immobilized fiancée.

()()**(*)``//O~O~O\\\??(*)’’()()

        The bell was about to ring and she was going to be late. Ukyo leapt out of bed and threw a mini-spatula at her alarm clock. “Stupid thing should have woke me up an hour ago!” She glared evilly at the remains of the technology and cursed it once again before throwing on her clothes and picking up her pack. She didn’t even have time to bind her chest and especially didn’t have time to open the restaurant like she normally did before school. She dashed off, the rising sun creating an expansive shadow that spread out in front of her. She turned the corner and sprinted throughout the gates of Furinkin and stopped dead in her tracks. “Ranchan!” she ran up to his prone form imbedded in the ground, mallet still sticking in his skull. She pushed the mallet off him and lifted his body into a sitting position then shook him a little by the shoulders; he quickly came to, a testament to his regenerative abilities. He focused on the face before him, his semi-conscious mind registering the first thing that came to it *Oh...it’s my “...cute...” fiancée* his voice trailed off and it appeared that he didn’t even realize he said it.

       Ukyo just sat there starring at Ranma, had Ranma called her cute... again? A huge smile appeared on her face and a blush spread from cheek to cheek. She was so happy that she didn’t trust herself to talk, she just smiled and looped her arm around behind his head and half dragged, half helped him into class. Akane looked angry at the predicament but she did nothing, perhaps she surmised that Ukyo was just helping Ranma but the smile Ukyo had really unnerved Akane. The morning classes went off without a hitch meaning Ranma slept through them and being the source of most of the chaos in the area it slept too.

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        By the time lunch rolled around Ranma woke reliably as the tide comes in. He stumbled out of the evacuated classroom only half awake and eventually made his way to the courtyard. Looking up, the late summer sun caused him to squint. His gaze moved in order to evade the burning orb of light and settled on Akane. She was over in the far corner of the courtyard sitting under a huge tree, and in her hand she was waving.....a......a...... beneto box. *Wait a second, Kasumi didn’t make lunch today, that means......Akane made lunch......gulp* Ranma decided that now was definitely a good time to leave and vaulted over the wall and out of sight. He didn’t know if Akane would pursue so he ran for quite some time before stopping, he was actually a bit winded from the run. Ranma cautiously reached into his pocket and to his horror found that he was broke! He thought that he had some cash, but no *How did a handful of buttons get in my pocket?* No money, that means no food, at least to most people, who unlike Ranma, did not have two beautiful fiancée’s that specialize in the restaurant trade.

        For a time Ranma considered the Cat Cafe’ the food was always good and, of course, free. That idea was quickly scrapped when he realized that such a thing would result in an impromptu glomp, which would most likely earn him a beating at a later date. So he turned to Ucchan’s Okonomoyaki, one of his favorite hangouts. A little time with his good buddy Ucchan and a nice warm Okonomoyaki was sounding like a good way to spend the lunch hour. He zipped over to Ucchan’s shop and frowned at the door (Yes, he really did frown at the door). [Back in 15 Minutes] He didn’t want to wait fifteen minutes, but maybe..... *She wouldn’t really mind if I wait inside.... so I’ll just slide the door open and step in.*

        To his surprise it was not locked. Usually when she left she locked the door. *She must think this is a safe neighborhood or somethin’* Ranma figured in the last week alone he had taken out a nice chunk of the prowlers but they always showed up somewhere, and the stories that Ryoga told really made the place seem dangerous, but for all Ranma knew Ryoga could have been talking about New York. Upon stepping inside he looked around the dimly lit shop, the only light being a set of florescent tubes above the grill filling the room with a low humming sound. But there was something else; he heard noise coming from the room above. Ranma turned toward the stairs and peered as far up them as he could see. Soon the curiosity got the better of him and he began his ascent. The stairs hardly made a noise and for that he was lucky, if Ukyo were present, one little noise and she would run out from wherever she was, beat him for sneaking around, and ask questions afterwards.

        He reached the summit of the steps and walked to the door of Ukyo’s room where he figured the sounds were coming from. Just as he reached the door he felt the floorboard drop down, just a little bit, but he suspected that it would make a nice noticeable creaking noise when he lifted his foot up. It didn’t matter though, Ranma had his spot. Looking though the crack of the partially opened door Ranma gazed into the darkness. He could tell Ukyo was sitting on her bed, leaning over something, *Homework during her lunch hour?* However in the dim light it was hard to make out until his eyes adjusted. So he just stood there silently listing to Ukyo’s muffled grunts and wondering what the heck she was doing for some reason though he knew talking would be the wrong thing to do.

        Inside Ukyo was driving her fingers in and out of her vagina at an intense pace. She was keeping her mouth tightly shut, letting only muffled grunts and squeals escape, her naked body had a slight sheen of sweat covering it form the intense action causing her to glisten magically. In front of her was a picture of Ranma, boy type, although there were pictures of his girl type and even some of Ryoga in a small pile within her reach. The picture was not all that special, an 8x10 of Ranma, minus shirt, but you could bet it cost her a pretty penny from Nabiki. Ukyo’s body began tensing in preparation for the final stretch. Her left hand tweaked her nipple, twisting the reddened nub, teasing it to perfection for maximum sensation. Drool was running out of the side of her mouth and her eyes were tightly shut in pleasure, her mind focused entirely on one thing, Ranma.

        Ranma’s eyes had long since adjusted to the ambiance of the room. And it was safe to say he was developing one of the most massive nosebleeds ever. He was however trying to hold it in, so he sat there, tasting that coppery tingle in the back of his mouth as it trickled into his throat. A nose bleed alone would not render him immobile, that particular paralysis was because of the girl before him, the girl whom he only thought of as a friend, the girl who was facing him, the girl with her legs spread apart and backed up against the far wall from him, looking at a picture of him, *...and she’s touch’in herself and stuff!* He could hear her muttering his name over and over with varying tones and pitches as she was pushed further into her world of rapture, and from her half sane musings he found that she was going through this entire thing for one reason, because he made some off hand remark about her being cute.

        Never in his entire life did Ranma ever realize that he held this much power over anyone. He watched withdrawn into his body, like he couldn’t remember how to move. He had never seen Ukyo in this way, and he didn’t even realize it until this shattering image of beauty and lust had assaulted his senses. Soon only one focused thought remained in the mantra that Ukyo was repeating over and over “Called me cute....he called me cute...called me...” each word was enunciated with a stifled gasp or shout and they were getting louder and louder as she approached the summit of orgasm. Ranma’s mind suddenly began to turn out scenarios of what might happen if he stayed. Turning though the consequences like an automated program, he made a faithful scared decision. He figured that the noise Ukyo was making, the squeaking of the bed and her noisy screams would drown out the sound of him moving, and he had a chance that he might get away. 

        It wasn’t a conscious decision and he didn’t even know his own plan till he tore his eyes away from the dazzling sight before him, and made a mad dash for the stairs. As he suspected Ukyo definitely did not hear him but before he reached the exit he heard her orgasm, yelling “RANNNN...!” into the air causing Ranma to falter in his steps and almost run into the doorframe. He turned quickly to avoid it and sprinted out the door holding his nose, the blood was flowing freely down his arm and his expression was pale, his breath was coming in hurried gasps. *What the hell just happened!! * he thought to himself. Of course he knew what happened, but part of his mind just wanted to deny it. There was no doubt that the whole thing almost gave him a mental breakdown. That didn’t go to well with the nosebleed, you can only swallow so much blood before you get sick and Ranma did just that, all over the street. Business went down 10% in that area due to that little bout of sickness.

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        He tried to wipe the blood from his nose and hands on his shirt and succeeded making it look less severe while heading toward the ominous structure that was the school. He reached it just as he began feeling a little decent, wiping off the cold sweats. Walking though the gates the bell began to chime. It surprised him that the whole incident had taken the entire lunch hour but the pain in his stomach was now forgotten and he headed off to class. Akane noticed the blood right off but Ranma just blamed it on a random fight over lunch and a lucky swing by Ryoga. Akane seemed to buy it but yelled at Ranma for picking on Ryoga even if he didn’t. He settled into his usual seat and starred out the window trying to block out the vision of Ukyo on her bed, a finger sticking in to *that space between her legs...., another hand on her nipple..* He was putting so much into blocking out the whole thing that it was making it even harder to forget. Due to this he failed to notice when the door was opened and someone was let in, until they sat down right in his line of vision.

        “Ukyo!” he half shouted and almost fell out of his chair, his hands flailing out to the sides causing him to loose his balance. She looked at him and smiled, for once he actually noticed *She’s smiling at me... I guess I should smile back... I think that’s what I normally do..* And managed a nervous smile in return. Which Akane noticed and glowered at him for. He purposely went back to the same vacant stare as before. But he was no longer looking out the window, well it looked like he was looking out the window but he was really starring at the reflection of Ukyo in the window. Her hair while it looked normal was still somewhat frazzled from the sweaty situation she had just come from. The fact that she had done such a thing and come back to school and could just face him like that was weird to Ranma. *I don’t think that I could ever do something like that, just look at her, the signs of what she just did are all over.* Well they were not really all over her but for Ranma they were, simply because he seen her during the act and anything that had not changed since then reminded him of such a thing. 

        The smell was gone, the smell would have drove him nuts, it reminded him too much of what just happened. He sniffed the air again but this time he did smell it, and from then on whenever he took a breath he smelt Ukyo’s *...place between her legs*. He couldn’t just stop smelling the smell, he tried breathing though his mouth *Awww man, I swear I can taste it!* but stopped shortly thereafter. Worst of all it was making him light headed, his mind started wonder it was all too much so he got up from his seat loudly proclaiming “I have to go...to the bathroom!” and jumped out the window of his third story class. True to the Ranmaverse between seasons 3 and 5 barely anyone took notice of what just happened.

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        Ranma made it home in record time, breathing heavy from the fast paced run. He stumbled into the house and after a brief encounter with Mr. Tendo, then Kasumi, and then his father and a sloppy story that he was sick, made his way up to the room he shared with his father. Ranma’s emotionally tired body tumbled onto the futon and his arm flopped over the side. He simply laid there and stared at the near featureless ceiling. Not surprisingly his mind went back to Ukyo in her shop. He had no idea that Ukyo thought of him like that, but now he was thinking of her like that too. Sure he had seen Shampoo naked and even Akane, but this was different, it was like she was showing off just for him......because of him and that also made him wonder about his other fiancées.

        *I have to get my mind off this or it’s gonna to drive me crazy!* He was frustrated at the whole situation, how this one event was wreaking havoc with his mind. Ranma actually gave occasional thought to which fiancée he would end up with and eventually marry. But he had always been too concerned with honor to ever actually think that he would be having sex with the person he married. He got himself up from the futon and headed out of the room at a snails pace. Down the hall he went and entered into the washroom. He quickly disrobed, the look on his face vacant, his mind elsewhere. He walked to the faucet and began to fill a bucket with water from the tap. He douced himself with the frigid water starting the change within. The he, now a she, starred down at her body, at her erect nipples, the crevice between her legs, the shapeliness of her thighs, and the earlier feelings of lust she had experienced re-intensified.

        She timidly dipped a hand in between her light cream colored thighs and massaged herself in a way she wouldn’t have dared before. Ukyo’s demonstration had shown Ranma exactly what to do to herself, she wanted to feel everything Ukyo felt, she wanted to do what Ukyo did. She looked into the mirror on the far side of the washroom and at her reflection and easily imagined Ukyo’s form within the glassy surface instead of her own. Her actions began to loose their jerky inexperienced appearance before long and were replaced by the movements that she would exhibit during martial arts, confidence, precision, all for the goal of pleasure. She rubbed and teased her nipples in exactly the same way as Ukyo did, trying to copy everything. She soon dropped on her back. She was too caught up in what she was doing to care as the small stool that was under her went skidding across the floor. Both of her hands were now at her vagina fighting to give her the most pleasure and after the pleasure suddenly turned into a strange unsettling feeling, it regained its previous power and then some and threw her over the edge. Spots swam in her vision as she experienced her first orgasm, her hands dropped limply to her sides and she gazed unfocused at the far wall and into the mirror “Ukyo...” she softly moaned.

*....why didn’t I do that before..... did I think I was going to break or something...?*

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        The next day at school Ranma could not shake the nervousness he was feeling. like he was less of a man, like everyone knew that he had gone that one step too far with his female body and proven every last one of their perverted minds right, and it didn’t help that he couldn’t keep from blushing around Ukyo. He had given into his bodies desire, and here he called himself a martial artist, he needed complete control over his emotions *..but it’s so damn hard when it concerns women...* He couldn’t look at Ukyo he figured that doing so might cause a nose bleed so he distracted himself, for once he watched the teacher like a normal student. Lunch came faster then Ranma expected and he was glad for it, “Man I’m hungry today!” He announced to everyone in the room with a big smile on his face as he left the classroom. Ranma walked outside and it was deja vu all over again. Akane was in the same spot and from the looks of it had the same lunch held his way that she did yesterday. Ranma didn’t doubt it, Akane didn’t notice little things like if food was spoiled or deadly. So just as he did the previous day he vaulted over the wall and fled from the scene. Once he did, he just had to curse at himself, *Damn! I left my good lunch with Akane, I am so screwed...*. Now he had nothing to eat, Ranma didn’t realize it yet, but he was already heading off to Ucchan’s.

        Ranma looked up toward the sky when he noticed something... *Ucchans...? How the heck did I get here?!!* This was definitely not a place he wanted to be, it was just yesterday that he saw..... Playing it off as having a Ryoga moment Ranma turned to leave but just out of the corner of his eye he caught a glimpse of chestnut hair in a white bow and a glint of metal rounding the corner and coming his way down the street. Mentally he prepared the quickest way out of her line of site, if he would have coherently thought it over he would have picked a better plan of action then to dive into Ucchan’s restaurant. Once inside it dawned on him and he recklessly ran to the back door only to find it barred. Now he was sweating a cold illogical fear started to edge into the base of his spine. He doubled back over his steps and bounded up the stairs intent on making an aerial escape from the window in Ukyo’s bedroom. Ranma navigated the stairs as quickly as possible, jumping two and three at a time and pushed though the door and into Ukyo’s room. Where he promptly lost control of his momentum and toppled face first into a pile of clothes.

        He lifted his head up from his fixed position on the wood floor and stared upward at an angle. Causing him to promptly faint from the sight he perceived. Ukyo had been sitting right inside of the door, legs spread wide just like before, and just like before she was definitely doing something that she did not want Ranma, or anybody for that matter to see. She looked down at his face, which was less then four inches from where all the action was, right between her legs. After a couple seconds of shock she settled on hitting Ranma and screaming like crazy.

        Nearly an hour later Ranma woke with a fairly large bruise formed on his skull. He laid there, eyes closed, probing the new injury delicately with his fingers. This action of course caused him to recall what happened just prior, and a blush spread to his cheeks, well, as much as an anime guy can blush. *I guess that must have been someone else I ran from...* Ranma cautiously opened his eyes, squinting in the light of the small room before adjusting and staring at its other occupant, Ukyo. From the looks of things she had hastily dressed, her hair was a mess, and her clothes were slung over her body with no semblance of order, but most of all she looked worried, but that didn’t last long. 

        Ranma seen her and did what came naturally, he bolted for the nearest exit, being the window, and headed out at max speed, leaving a shell shocked Ukyo in his wake. Imagine a rocket ripping though a residential room, pulling papers off the walls in an untamable whirlwind, now replace Ranma with the rocket. All the while he was trying to mumble out some quick apology that would have most likely been inappropriate. Ukyo watched his departure in stunned silence, the windows blasted open slamming against their frame, her eyes making the blink, blink sound as she just sat and stared. Finally she came back to herself “What the hell was that all about! That jackass!” and she stormed out of her room and stood in the hallway for a moment before storming back into her room to finish getting ready for school.

        Ranma ran away from the Okonomoyaki shop at a maddening pace just hoping to put as much distance between himself and Ukyo as possible. He decided that he was definitely going to avoid Ukyo for a while. Somewhere in his head he did realize he wouldn’t be able to do it forever but so long as he bought some time... Maybe he could think of a better way to deal with the situation. *I bet if I just ignore it she’ll never bring it up again and it’ll be like it never happened!* He almost started to cackle at the thought as he ran home. Akane came home later in the day, she didn’t know the details, but somehow she knew Ranma was at Ukyo’s. As usual it was enough to upset the emotionally disturbed girl and she flew into a fit of rage. The usual battle cry of “Ranma!” was yelled out as Akane threw open the door to Ranma’s room. To find Ranma sound asleep on his bed roll. Her eyes did the blink blink thing and she slid the door shut slowly, too taken with the look of him soundly sleeping to do anything to disturb it. 

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        Ranma woke the next day feeling drained; he hadn’t slept well at all and was in zombie mode while preparing to go to school. That was constant until he and Akane entered the school grounds, it was then that an important thought crossed his mind. “Crap, Ucchan is gonna be here!” *.....man I got to hide!* Without warning he lept up and away from Akane who was enjoying his company for once. He bounded atop the school and disappeared out of sight. Akane humphed and said something about ‘show off martial artists’, then proceeded to class as usual. No one else seemed to notice, being almost completely desensitized to such things from living in the area for so long.

        Ranma reached the roof with no difficulty and sat down. He really couldn’t afford to miss school, his grades were less then stellar and he tended not to do make up assignments. On the other hand Ukyo was there and he had no clue how to deal with that situation. He let out a long sigh and got himself as comfortable as possible on the roof. At least he could go to the two classes that he didn’t share with Ukyo today. *What on earth am I supposed to do!* The breeze of the early autumn air ruffled his hair and refreshed his body as he thought to himself aloud. “I know, I’ll dress up like a girl and pretend to be a foreign exchange student! That way Ukyo won’t know it’s me!” It took Ranma ten minutes to figure out that the plan had a flaw; within an hour he realized it had many more.

        Eventually lunch came and Ranma cautiously looked over the ledge into the court yard. For the third day in a row Akane still had the same lunch to give to Ranma and again it caused him to cringe but he held his ground regardless, after all she couldn’t see him from her vantage point. Ukyo was wandering around holding a lunch out apparently looking for something. He was pretty sure that she probably made it for him and his suspicions were confirmed when Ukyo approached Akane. Ranma couldn’t hear the question but he could definitely hear the answer. “I don’t know where that sex changing pervert is and I don’t care!” Some people in the courtyard stopped eating their lunches to watch Akane but soon the commotion stopped and Ukyo resumed her search.

        From this distance Ranma found that watching Ukyo was less stressing. The hormones had toned down and he could look at her and think somewhat clearly. She walked around the courtyard for a bit and Ranma could tell she was getting a little distressed. Or maybe he couldn’t so much see her getting upset but he could feel it, just by her body language. The look on Ukyo’s face was so sad when she left the courtyard that it compelled Ranma against his better judgment to follow her. *Damn it, what is it they say, discretion is the better part of valor?* She was just walking along the sidewalk at a normal pace, nothing suspicious but Ranma followed regardless, he was sure he was the problem. Ukyo may have been a decent martial artist but she couldn’t detect Ranma, at least from the distance at which he was following, a good twenty yards or so, nimbly dodging behind fences and taking to the roof tops in an over elaborate plan to avoid detection. 

        Soon they had reached their destination, she had gone exactly where he had expected, back to her restaurant, but of course that only made sense. He took a hiding space behind a pile of trash that was so good, well, the hiding place was, not the trash, because even when she looked right at him through the window she wouldn’t spot him. She was soon serving the lunch crowd at a fevered pace, flashing a very pretty, but obviously fake (at least to Ranma) smile. She also kept looking around like she was expecting something but it took some time to dawn on Ranma, *she’s looking for me...* his looks became dispirited. He hadn’t realized that he was such a bright spot of her day.

        Now that he thought about it he was the entire reason that she was still here, away from her family, just to be by a fiancée that didn’t want her. It was almost enough to make Ranma lash out at the injustice of it all, at himself. But the only one to blame here was his father, he could blame his father for the whole thing. His father had set up the whole thing, he was just a little kid at the time, it wasn’t his fault. The question was, what was he going to do about it. He could beat up his father, that would make him feel better right now. He looked at Ukyo again, she looked sadder, he felt like he had to do act quickly. “Why is she so sad......and why is it bother’in me so much?” Ranma knew that if he went in there that would completely cheer her up. *Damn, if she even looks at me, or mentions what happened yesterday... I just don’t know...she might want to have … a talk about it….* Ranma gave a slight shudder at the embarrassing prospect and continued watching Ukyo work in silence.

        It was at that moment that the potted plant closest to Ukyo suddenly grew legs and ran straight toward her. Ukyo ‘eeped’ and jumped out of the way as the plant hurled itself into the air and ended up crashing into the wall behind where she once stood. Tubasa emerged from the wreckage visibly dazed from the collision. He stood there shifting his weight from one foot to another holding his head, trying to regain his balance but it was not to be. Ukyo grabbed her ultra-mega huge spatula and wound up. “Tubaaassaaa!!! Get the hell out of my restaurant!!” She set him sailing with a mammoth crash straight through the window Ranma was hiding outside of. The glass pain shattered and Tubasa sailed out, skimming the top of Ranma’s head. Ranma sat there for a moment thinking *I should probably leave.* so, for once, he actually took his own advice.

        Ranma ever so casually walked down the side of the restaurant until he hit the street on the other side. Then he went straight to an all out run right back to school. *Guess I go hungry again today..* But that was just his attempt to take his mind off Ukyo, he was finally starting to get affixed on one of his fiancées like they were on him and he didn’t like it one bit. Deciding to play it cool Ranma tried to attract as little attention as possible. However Ranma being, well, being Ranma meant that he didn’t attract attention, he radiated it. There was the fight with Ryoga, the usual verbal sparring match between him and Akane and of course Kuno was thrown into the mix. But when the day was done and Ranma went home, nothing was solved.

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        As Ranma laid there on his bed roll his mind wandered, he tossed and turned and tried to sleep but couldn’t. It was like not learning a technique, how it was when Cologne was teaching Ryoga and not him. He was on the loosing end, and he was frustrated and it was all because of his indecision. Ranma’s mind was a mess, thinking of how things might go. Trying not to think of Ukyo *... with her hand between her legs and moaning and ...* but was having a much harder time of it because of the interconnections in his mind. When he thought of Akane, Shampoo, or even if his mind went to Kodachi because they were all his fiancées his mind went right back to Ukyo. *Funny, I almost forgot she was my fiancée..?* Even his father was brining him back to the thoughts that he just wanted to get rid of. *I’m not going to sleep much tonight either.....*

H=+=+=+---((:::::::::))---+=+=+=H

        Rest finally came to Ranma and his mind managed to fall elsewhere. He saw himself walking around, outside it was snowing and there was a fireplace. He was smiling and Genma was in panda from and dressed like a reindeer. *I guess this is the Tendo Dojo...* Ranma watched himself drink eggnog and then go upstairs to his own room and go to sleep. “I’m having a dream about me sleeping?” So he just watched as he slept and after awhile Genma came in, still in panda form and laid down to sleep as well. Finally he heard something outside and his other self did to and woke up. He (the Ranma that was sleeping) jumped up like a flash and ran to the window and threw open the shutters to see what was the matter. When, what to his wondering eyes should appear, But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer!

        Ranma jumped up from his bed in a cold sweat. “What the hell kind of dream was that!?” He laid back down for a moment and when he really did hear a clatter he just laid there, no rushing this time. Then, after a moment, he was able to make out something, it took a couple times being repeated for his mind to put together each of the parts he heard into one statement. “What a haul...” Ranma slowly mouthed the words and knew immediately what it meant, the Old Lech was back after nearly a week away. Ranma grudgingly got up and sauntered to the window to look out, and of course he was dead right. Smack dab in the middle of the yard sat Happosai sorting out his most recent plunder of silky ‘treasures’.

        Ranma may have been confused lately but he knew exactly what to do in this situation. He jumped down from his window and in a manner of speaking that anyone would recognize as pure Ranma started off “Hey Old Lech, what are ya’ doin’ running around out here in the middle of the night?” Happosai looked up to face him “Well, Ranma m’boy, I was just doing a little refresher course and all I need are Akane’s panties to graduate.” Ranma eyed the old man “Refresher course?” “Yeah Ranma, once I got Akane’s panties I’ll have a pair from each of your fiancées.” He held up three pairs of panties, one in his left and two in his right, his diminutive hands just as wrinkled as the cotton and silk they held. Ranma tried to focus but it was too dark to make out much detail.

        Ranma was momentarily fazed and Happosai took the opportunity to continue, he moved his head toward his right hand to gesture, “Here are Shampoo and Kodachi’s Panties..” then he gestured toward the other hand “And here are Ukyo’s, quite the rarity here, the only pair I found in any of her draws!” He began rubbing Ukyo’s panties against his face. “So smooth and soft, unlike the boxers she normally wears” Happosai got all teary eyed and continued on as Ranma began to get infuriated “Oh that delicate flower of femininity, if only she would dress like Shampoo my life would be complete” He accentuated his ‘emotional state’ by going to blow his nose in the panties, but before he could Ranma lunged foreword and grabbed them from him. Happosai blew his nose in his hands then looked up shocked, but just as he realized what happened and started to get angry, Ranma punted him into the mesosphere.

        Of course Happosai had more many many more then just three pairs of panties, if you consider the area of his ‘sack’ and the compressibility of women’s panties you can safely assume that at a maximum it holds nearly one thousand pairs of panties or more, and it was near full capacity. To anyone watching the rising suns rays reflecting off the silk trailing behind Happosai would have looked like some weird inverse comet heading from earth to its long lost home deep in space. Of course that image is totally wrong but that didn’t stop people from believing it, one enterprising young man even managed a picture and later that day it was published in an evening edition, the start of a great career.

        Ranma looked down at his hand, at Ukyo’s panties, then at all the panties strewn across the yard. “It’s not like I can give any of them back, they’ll just blame me…” There was a long pause before Ranma quickly concluded “Better just put them in the burn pile.” So Ranma spent the next half hour picking up all the panties and putting them in the pile. When he was done he jumped back up through his window and laid down to sleep again. He felt something in his back pocket and reached back to check. *...Ukyo’s panties? I thought that I put them with the rest...* Ranma hurriedly looked over to his dad to make sure he was still asleep and then just as quickly put the panties into his front pocket. Sometime later Ranma still hadn’t fallen back asleep and somehow it crossed his mind to pull out the panties again. He examined them closely, not too frilly, deep blue, *..kinda like something I would wear...* he continued turning them over in his hands *..well, if I HAD to wear panties!* He was about to put them back but suddenly before he even had a chance to control himself he had them to his nose taking a deep whiff. Then pulled them away shocked *I’ll be damned if I’m going to turn into another Happosai!* He crammed them back into his pocket then laid back onto his side. *...they do smell like Ukyo though....* that was Ranma’s last coherent thought before he fell back to sleep, fifteen minutes before his alarm went off.

X|||////////888~D~Thursday~D~888\\\\\\\\|||X

        This day, compared to the other three was relatively uneventful for Ranma. He had the forethought to keep his own lunch, packed by Kasumi, with him at all times. He failed to do his homework for the umpteenth time in his first few classes and was gifted with standing in the hallway, a blessing to Ranma for allowing him to keep out of Ukyo’s sight. Best of all for him, he stayed on the roof the whole lunch hour by himself and he got to eat this time! Although he eyed Akane wearily “I’m pretty sure that’s the same lunch...” and he also watched as Ukyo left for her restaurant. When the afternoon classes started Ranma figured that he was home free, no more Ukyo *I knew that I could beat this* Ranma’s confidence in his own decisions and what he believed in was coming back in spades and he was starting to successfully block out the previous ‘trauma’.

        On his way home Ranma decided that *Today was a good day...* and reflected on it, only a couple bizarre hallucinations about him with Ukyo, avoiding Akane’s lunch, and to round out the perfect day a nice big argument with Akane. “Things are already getting back to normal.... the only thing miss’in is maybe some kinda conflict with the old ghoul, or Shampoo...” Ranma stopped walking and looked around expectantly, let out a breath and continued on “...or even Ryoga..” Once again Ranma stopped and looked around like he expected something, but nothing happened. *Actually, I’m getting kind of creeped out.... time to get home...* He took a look at the region of the sky that the sun occupied and guessed it to be around four, thereupon he hopped down from the fence and sprinted home.

-----<~~~<===<||ww/\^/\ww||>===>~~~>-----

        P-chan showed up for dinner, he trotted straight from the patio right up to Akane lacking incident and she picked him up without hesitation showering him with affection. Ranma glowered a bit but didn’t let it get to him, much. *Maybe if I play my cards right I can get in a sparring match after dinner..* Throughout the meal Ranma stared at Ryoga, trying irk him and make him want to fight. It worked, by the end of the meal P-chan was struggling to get out of Akane’s arms but she wouldn’t have that and just held him all the tighter. Finally she got up and left and Ranma watched as she walked out of the room, Ryoga and Ranma’s eyes met as she was leaving and they exchanged their disappointment at a missed match, but there would be other times. Now that most everyone else was done, Ranma and his father were free to fight over the leftovers but it was short lived, the overall quantity of food cooked was somewhat less then the usual. 

        The food was great but after a meal like that all Ranma could think to do was go upstairs and take a nap. He was out before his head hit the pillow and his mind went straight into a dream. Like all dreams it started out in a haze, even though you are experiencing things for reality nothing makes sense, but you don’t question it. Most people will never question a dream they’re in, that’s just how things are. So when it suddenly dawned on Ranma that he was in girl form and laying on top of a naked Ukyo and fingering her, she wasn’t phased one bit. Especially since she was enjoying it so much, it felt so good just to lay there and make her moan. Then Ranma grasped Ukyo around her wrist and lead Ukyo’s hand down between her own legs. Ukyo then started fingering Ranma in return and they started to grind together. Ranma lifted her hand back up from guiding Ukyo and settled on Ukyo’s puffy nipples, playing with them and alternately nibbling on them.

        Then she was down between Ukyo’s legs licking her clit and fingering her simultaneously. Soon afterward she was a he again and getting ready to enter her. He stood over her and teased her lips with his cock and she cooed in joy. He looked at her, “I love you” he said softly then entered her, his eyes focused on her wonderful magical smile, Ukyo was already wet and Ranma felt his cock slip in and out dragging her juices with it. He knew he wouldn’t last long, bending down and holding her tightly he gritted his teeth as she moaned out his name and he doubled his speed. Ranma bolted upright in his bed covered in sweat. He was panting and flushed and sticky in places that only reminded him of his dream. Genma slept unfazed across the room having come in shortly after midnight, this coupled with several games of go and his normal sake intake meant he was out for pretty much anything short of a point blank Shi-Shi-Hokodan. Laying back down Ranma rolled onto his side to face the wall. His hand reached into his pocket and grabbed his pair of Ukyo’s panties *...Love Ukyo....nahhh.... want Ukyo...maybe..* He ran his thumb and forefinger together on opposite sides of the material. The feeling it made sliding between them was quite addictive.

        He continued fondling the panties while his mind kept on wandering. *I wonder what Ukyo is doing right now..?* He rolled around onto his back to contemplate the ceiling and pulled his hand out of his pocket. *I bet that she’s asleep..* Ranma turned and craned his neck upward to look out the window and at the night sky. *I just wonder...* He turned a bit more and sat up still staring out the window. *Ucchans is only about a three minute run from here, the air’ll do me good* He was now standing, and at the window. It came open without a creek and off he went.

-----<~~~<===<||ww/\^/\ww||>===>~~~>-----

        The night air felt good whisking by, the sweat from the dream was gone, and Ranma’s head was starting to clear again. Running to a martial artist is second instinct just as a normal person can walk and not pay ANY attention to where they are going and get by. Ranma managed to do the same thing while sprinting between roof tops and propelling himself to dizzying heights from window sills. *I don’t think this is a good idea...* He hadn’t stopped but maybe that’s because he had yet to realize that he was running and picking up the pace. *... Ukyo’s just sleep’in, I should be sleeping...* He couldn’t get a straight answer from himself as to why he was out in the middle of the night, and even though he wanted to, he didn’t turn back. 

        His short journey ended in a tree, just a few feet away from Ucchan’s. Ranma settled in the top and caught his breath but it wasn’t long before his mind kicked back in. “...okay, nothing special going on here, time to go back...” He whispered to himself hoping to finally convince himself to just go back home. There was a moment of indecision before he hopped down from the tree silently and turned to walk away. He shoved his hands in his pockets and started a step and promptly stumbled. Prone on the ground he pulled his right hand out of his pocket to once again take a look at Ukyo’s panties. *...DAMN! I forgot about these again!!...* He pushed himself back up and turned back to the Ucchan. *Guess I midaswell put em’ back and get rid of em’..* He cleared the fourteen feet to the window in one effortless silent leap.

        Standing on the window sill he felt around for some kind of leverage to pull the window open, eventually some was found and he maneuvered it open and stepped in. Ukyo was to his immediate right sleeping peacefully under a light sheet with her head only a few inches from Ranma’s foot on the window sill. Being extra careful Ranma took the time to position his foot so that he wouldn’t hit any kind of obstruction and repeated it over and over till he reached the dresser on the opposite side of the room.

        Unbenounced to Ranma, Ukyo had awoken when the window was opened. She cautiously opened one eye and got a glimpse of Ranma, even in the low light she recognized the silhouette of the one that she loved. Regardless of her tired mind she remembered a plan set out for such a situation, *If Ranma ends up in my room, alone, at night, seduce him.* She stealthy set out to do just that, carefully moving one hand down to the band of her boxers and pushing them off a bit. She used cautious movements of her legs to take them down even more and finally to her ankles where she used a move that was not secretive at all to just push them off the rest of the way causing the bed to move somewhat, feigning the movement for a normal sleeping person, Ranma didn’t seem to panic.

        Outside the moonlight was more then enough to navigate by, but only a few feet in from the window the light was totally cut off and Ranma was in the dark and once again regretting his current course of action. Lucky for him he was close enough to the dresser to make out a faint gleam from one of the drawer handles *..any drawer is good enough now...* he pulled it open a fraction and forced the panties through the small crack and left it open. Turning toward the window was the hardest part yet, Ukyo was not too keen on house keeping in her own room and every step was like trying to avoid some kind of trap. At least heading toward the window his own shadow didn’t block the moonlight. He began to trace his original path identically when Ukyo made her move. She rolled over in her bed tossing her covers off and managed to catch his eye. *Gulp.. she’s naked...* Ranma stopped moving all together and tried to pull his eyes away from between Ukyo’s legs which were conveniently spread apart.

        Ukyo cracked open her eyelid a tiny bit and noticed that she had managed to stop Ranma in his tracks. Smiling a bit to herself she reached down between her legs with her right hand. *Maybe he wants to see more of this... Kami... if he stays...* Knowing that Ranma was there was quite a turn on, she’d never masturbated with an audience before. She started inconspicuously, like she had an itch, Ranma held his breath and was steadying himself to flee but Ukyo took it one step further and began to moan and Ranma was steadfast once again. It was dark and the details were lost to him but Ukyo was in front of him masturbating again, it was like a dream, or maybe more of a nightmare....

        Ukyo was beginning to finger herself and writhe around on the bed a bit. All the while Ranma felt like his heart was beating in his brain, his throat was closing up he was falling into panic. Ukyo noticed none of this and continued on, she pulled her left hand upward and tossed off more covers while simultaneously lifting up her oversized shirt and exposing her breasts. Ranma’s eyes bugged out, the line of light coming from the window cut off before her midriff so Ranma was left guessing a bit but her breast’s were gloriously illuminated and ever so perfect. Ranma started to feel a bulge in his pants, he prided himself on his control and it seemed only Akane could make him lose it, especially toward anger but tonight it was Ukyo that was taking Ranma’s control. Ranma reached down and adjusted his pants without really thinking about it and Ukyo noticed through her thin line of sight and grinned.

        Her left hand began on her breast and started rubbing the nipple and cupping them as a whole. Then she started talking, low at first so that he might pass it off as talking in her sleep but picking up as she grew more confident that Ranma would not bolt. “Ohhh Ranma... I love you.... it feels soooo good.... ohhhhh....” Ranma gulped in an attempt to subdue the knot in his throat and moved foreword toward the window a bit but at the same time moving toward Ukyo. Ukyo continued her triad “Ranma.... your tongue feels soooo good down there.... ohhh Ranma...” Now Ranma’s breath was coming out in little hops and gasps and his heart felt like it was doing the same thing *I...I....I... don’t know... what to do...* He reached down again to adjust his erection but his hand lingered a bit longer.

        Ukyo crept open her eye a bit more to gauge his reaction and was surprised as she seen his pants *There’s no way he’s doing what I think he’s doing!...* Ukyo never expected her plan to work and she was at a loss as to what to do next, she decided to just keep up her fantasy and just imagine Ranma on top of her. She started bucking her hips “Oh Ranma...Take me!!” She was really into it now, her left hand alternating between nipples and her three fingers jammed inside as deep as she could make it. The smell of sex was filling the room and Ukyo was incredibly wet. “Oh Ranma... I love you so much!” Ranma didn’t know what to do, he started to gravitate in toward Ukyo, his escape forgotten.

        *I’m gonna hug her... kiss her... what the hell am I doing.... I can’t just have sex with her.... it doesn’t ahhhhh damn it.... I couldn’t do what I wanted to do even if I knew what I wanted to do!* Ranma was close now, his head coming toward her face as she cracked open her eye a bit to look at him again, Ranma caught it and froze in place and Ukyo’s eyes opened all the way when she realized she’d been caught. She knew Ranma was going to run she could already feel his body tense up so she used every bit of strength and speed she could muster and grabbed at Ranma with both hands. Her gambit paid off and she held Ranma in what equated to a bear hug, she held as tightly as she could as Ranma struggled to get away, like a puppy from a little girl.

        Ukyo was definitely having a hard time keeping her grip, she dropped onto her back and with a mighty heave tossed Ranma onto the bed next to her. “Ran-chan!! Calm down, I said calm down you JACKASS!” Ranma stopped moving and held very still, shocked back to his senses. Ukyo noticed this and unhooked her hands from behind his back. She slowly moved away while keeping a hand on each shoulder in case he decided to run. She pulled herself up to sit on the edge of the bed but Ranma stayed where he was laying next to her with his feet hanging over the long edge. Ukyo never took her eyes off him, it took a few seconds for his instincts to die down to the point where he managed actual coherent thought. He took stock of his situation, he had been found out, he was trapped, and he was hyperventilating *I need to get out of her… if I don’t leave… I’ve got to get out of here now!*

        Ukyo’s look became even more serious “Ran-chan... can we talk?” Ranma knew that he wouldn’t like this so he began to actively look for an escape again, nervously glancing from one object in the room, avoiding looking at Ukyo or her ‘parts’ at all cost and hoping that something might inspire his mind to find a way out of this situation. Ukyo noticed this and casually made a grab for her spatula, which was not where she left it to her dismay, but she didn’t falter and just held up her gaze. Ranma gulped and realized that trying to get away would result in him having to hurt Ukyo or something worse so he opted just to stay very very still. Ukyo finally picked conversation back up after a few moments to gather herself. “Ran-chan, what I did the other day.... and just again.... I love you..and... it wasn’t meant to hurt you or anything....” Slowly Ranma’s jaw began to physically drop, *Is she trying to apologize to me for somethin’?* Realizing that he was not being scolded Ranma calmed down a fraction as she continued.

        “It’s just that when I think of you... I don’t feel as lonely while I do that...... I ..... I don’t want you to be angry with me.. I don’t know what I would do without you….” Ranma was feeling even more left out of the loop *Angry with her... why, because she was masturbating while thinking of me..?* Ukyo continued in much the same way as Ranma’s thoughts “I don’t want your name to be soiled like that, I feel like I use you when I think about you… you know… when I do that… and I’m just pleading that you don’t hold it against me...” She reached out a hand slowly, expecting Ranma to jerk away, he eyed it warily but didn’t move. Reaching up toward his head she started to stroke his hair relaxing both of them from the simple gesture. “Ran-chan, I do love you... I want to be with you... and I want you to be happy.” she continued stroking his hair while declaring love and Ranma relaxed further into the bed.

        Soft blankets all around him, underneath him a very soft bed, couple this with Ukyo’s soothing voice and the gentle repetitive caressing of his hair and you get a Ranma showing how tired he is from three days of sleep deprivation very quickly. His thoughts of Ukyo were no longer keeping him awake, he was going into another place. Occasional coherence would surface its head but it was always reassurement that came through. It was dark, he was comfy, he was relaxed, and his eyes began to close as his stress fell away. Ukyo realized that she wasn’t being listened to any more but continued to reassure him of her love as Ranma fell asleep on her bed.

        Ukyo looked at Ranma’s sleeping form *My god, he looks so cute like that.... but...* She looked toward her newly acquired clock on her night stand and back to Ranma. * I have to wake him up... I’ve got to do it now, otherwise I’ll never bring myself to it, if he gets caught sleeping over here it will really make his life hell...* She gently reached over with both hands and shook him with one on each shoulder. Ranma was very slow to open his eyes having just fallen asleep but seemed to become alert really quick and then he went from alert to panicked in the space of a second scaring Ukyo a bit. She started to talk quickly to alleviate his fears “Ran-chan, it’s okay, you nodded off for a second.” Ranma sat up slower then Ukyo expected “Damn Ukyo... how did this happen..” Ukyo stared at him a moment thinking about what he said “Ranma, you have to get back to the Tendo’s and get some sleep, I mean, if you’re falling asleep in my bed you must be really tired.” She finished with a reassuring smile and Ranma brought out a smile in return.

        He stood up and took the three steps to the window in two *Boy, I’m glad that’s over!* He couldn’t help it, the smile that began towards Ukyo had become a huge silly grin on his face *Everything is done, no more secrets, nothing bad happened!* He couldn’t believe it and he really didn’t have a reason to because just as he was about to leap out the window Ukyo called out to him “Ran-chan Wait!” Ranma stopped and turned to Ukyo very slowly his grin gone and his face already ashen and pale. “Yeah Ucchan...” Ukyo looked up toward him “Ran-chan... it was nice talking with you tonight, you know... with no one else around....” Ranma thought about it but quickly agreed “Yeah... a little..” Ukyo could feel that he was just agreeing to get out of there but she pressed her rare advantage “How about you come back tomorrow night so we can talk some more...” Ukyo gave her saddest puppy dog eyes and, as her luck would have it they were illuminated perfectly by the moonlight coming through the window. 

        Ranma felt a pang in his chest *I’ll just say yes, I can just forget about it... anything to get out of here.... I mean... there’s always a chance...* His thinking sufficiently justified Ranma nodded to Ukyo “I’ll try..” Ukyo smiled tentatively back and nodded feeling her heart beat faster. “I hope that you make it Ran-chan..” Ranma smiled a bit and turned to look out the window and with a leap he was gone and sailing through the sky. Ukyo stood up and wiped a tear from her eye “He’s not coming back...” she pulled the window shut and bundled up in her covers, alternating between crying and fantasizing the remainder of the night leaving no time for simple pleasures like sleep.

X|||////////888~D~Friday~D~888\\\\\\\\|||X

        Ranma awoke the next morning more refreshed then he could ever remember. After the occurrence at the Ucchan and his late arrival home he had slept like a log and strangest of all, actually woke up under his own power. He was however quick to get off his bed fearing that he would fall back asleep and have to wake up a few moments later much less invigorated. Ranma looked at the window and then to the clock, he was still a good thirty minutes ahead of anyone else in the household save Kasumi, feeling a bit sticky and feeling fortuitous of his newly found free time he decided on taking a soak in the furo. So he grabbed a clean outfit and headed to the washroom.

-----<~~~<===<||ww/\^/\ww||>===>~~~>-----

        The soak had done him good and he had a bit of a spring to his step upon exiting. As he turned down the hall toward the stairs he heard the click of a door and turned around to see Akane stagger out cloaked in sleep. He grinned as he watched her head bob up and down as she unsteadily walked toward the furo he had just occupied. She looked up at him just as she reached the door, a little late in realizing that he was in the hallway with her. “Yawwwnnn... Ranma... why are you up so early..?” Ranma just widened his grin to a smile “I don’t know, I just slept great.” Akane glowered at him and half heatedly pushed him further away from the door to the washroom and walked in then mumbled out “... I wish it was contagious...” as she was closing the door on Ranma who was watching her amused.

        He turned back toward the stairs and descended to the first floor then walked over toward the kitchen when Kasumi walked out in front of him. Ranma stumbled as he tried to stop on a dime but managed to hold it together. He smiled weakly at Kasumi “Hey ya’ Kasumi!” Kasumi smiled back “Ranma... here’s your lunch” Ranma increased the intensity of his smile to reflect his appreciation and took the lunch from Kasumi’s hands “Thanks Kasumi” he looked at the lunch in his hands, wrapped with a little bow to keep it shut *It’s just the little things.* He turned to walk into the living room but stopped himself and spun back around toward Kasumi “Really... Thanks a lot Kasumi.” Kasumi just kept smiling “Really, it’s no problem Ranma.”

        In the living room Nabiki had taken up roost by the television, paying careful attention to the news, actually taking notes on some of the parts and overall ignoring Ranma. Quickly deciding that there was nothing in the living room noteworthy he opted to toss on his shoes and take a walk around the Tendo home. However this casual stroll could not hold the interest of Ranma and he had scaled the compound walls long before completing one lap. He figured he still had quite a bit of time before school, but having nowhere better to go and already prepared with lunch in hand, he headed off toward Furinkin.

-----<~~~<===<||ww/\^/\ww||>===>~~~>-----

        Ranma’s classroom was empty and the only sounds were from the occasional faculty members walking by the door. Walking over to the window Ranma opened it a crack before taking his regular seat. However he only ended up sitting there for a moment after realizing that Ukyo would most likely sit right in front of him. *Today will be different...something feels different….* he thought to himself repositioning himself to a seat at the front of the classroom. Still no one was in the classroom, and Ranma, not being the type to just sit around stood up and sat his lunch on his seat to save it then went to the open area in the front of the classroom to practice his kata’s.

        People filtered in slowly at first but eventually the majority of the class had arrived and Ranma took his seat. Ranma heard a coughing sound and turned his head toward the door. Akane was standing there irate “So this is where you were!” Ranma was honestly surprised by that question “Uhhh... I shouldn’t be here?” Akane just let out a deep breath and went to her seat keeping her gaze on Ranma the whole time, which served to unsettle him. Now Ranma was really paying attention to the clock just hoping that class would start soon. However one more person would make it in before the bell. Ukyo stepped in dressed as usual and when Ranma turned to look at her and their eyes met, she gave him a solid wink and a smile. He gave out a little laugh that ended up being more of a giggle and felt his heart speed up.

        Quickly he broke the line of sight and looked to where the teacher would be standing in a few moments. Ranma’s mind was set today, he would pay more attention to the teacher then ever before! The teacher came in and Ranma lived up to his mental promise and paid close attention to everything he taught, time passed quickly and by the time lunch arrived and the teacher dismissed class, Ranma looked up to Ukyo who was looking down on him. “Remember about tonight.” she gave a little smile that looked kind of sad and skipped away. That little exchange was put on the back burner though as he had been thrust into another do or die situation. He looked toward the door and there stood Akane holding ‘the lunch’ which now had a soggy stain in the front where ‘it’ had broke though and she patched it up with duct tape.

        Ranma grabbed his lunch from under his desk then grabbed the desk next to him with one hand and using all of his upper body strength pulled himself up and over it, springing himself out the window like a precision thrown pencil. By the time his body had cleared the window frame he could hear Akane yelling after him. Ranma knew that if he got caught he might be forced to eat her lunch so with a feral instinct not too different from Neko-ken he pulled himself up the sheer concrete wall tooth and nail all the way to the top in a matter of seconds. His triumph was short lived as he realized Akane was probably on her way up the stairs right now so with a running start he leapt off the roof traveling a good hundred and fifty feet and landed in a large tree.

        Positioning himself toward the end of one of the branches Ranma made a quick survey of the area and found there was no Akane present and after the branches stopped shaking from his landing he was pretty sure he was in the clear. He took a seat on one of the branches against the trunk and started eating from his beneto. He looked down from his spot and watched with interest as Ukyo left the school grounds to go to her shop for the day, then he went back to eating. The rest of lunch went off without incident and after timing his entrance into his afternoon class to coincide with the beginning of class, he managed to dodge Akane as well. Although Ranma was enjoying his day, there was a nagging feeling in the back of his head he couldn’t shake.

-----<~~~<===<||ww/\^/\ww||>===>~~~>-----

        After dinner Ranma decided that it would be best to just go to sleep early, sure the sun hadn’t set yet but it was getting close. “Hey Kasumi, if anyone wants to talk to me just tell em’ I’m sleeping okay?” Kasumi turned toward Ranma as cheerful as ever “Okay Ranma.” Ranma climbed the stairs feeling a bit slick as he got further away from the commotion downstairs. *I’ll just call it an early night... and if I miss our little get together, oh well, it’s not like I could go over there now, and I can’t set my alarm...* Ranma tossed off his outfit when he got to his room and laid down on the futon. He covered his head with the pillow to block out the last of the sun’s rays then started some breathing exercises to help him fall asleep.

H=+=+=+---((:::::::::))---+=+=+=H

        Suddenly Ranma realized something was out of place and sat up. Despite the darkness he looked around the room rapidly finally letting out an exhausted breath. He’d had the strangest feeling that Ukyo was in the room with him, he’d even been talking to her. It seemed so real, some kind of hallucination. Ranma looked to the alarm clock slowly, afraid of what it would say * 3 am, just my luck...* Ranma looked at his right hand which he was holding flat slightly above the covers. He moved it up and down as if it had some extra weight inexplicably held within it. “Should I go...?” Ranma turned toward the window and his heart felt a little bit heavier, he remembered Ukyo reminding him earlier. *She was pretending to be confident.... I think she knew I wouldn’t show...* He stood up from his bed “Well I don’t like being predictable..” he finished with a little confident chuckle, went to the window, and left for the Ucchan.

        Ranma’s worries became nonexistent as he jogged to Ucchan’s. The cool wind in his hair soothed him and centered his soul. The run itself felt great, his muscles had been prone for too long on the futon, getting the blood circulating and his heart beating was making him feel more able bodied already. By the time he arrived at the restaurant a smile had snuck onto his face and with one great bound he made it to Ukyo’s window, but stopped there. His trepidation was coming back but before he could talk himself out of it he was already opening the window. *Oh well, no stopping now...*

        He crouched down in the open window sill and watched Ukyo for a few moments. The breeze from outside was blowing lightly over her, tussling her hair slightly, and the moonlight illuminated her like no earthly light could, she was beautiful. Ranma gulped down a breath of fresh air and gingerly reached to touch Ukyo on the shoulder. He tapped her twice, softly, and quickly turned around *Well, I tried..* but just as Ranma was about to head out he heard his name softly called. *Damn.* Slowly Ranma turned back to Ukyo who was now lazily wiping the sleep from her eyes. “Ranchan...?”

        Ranma gulped to clear his throat a bit before giving his meek answer “Yeah... it’s me..” Ukyo propped herself up on her elbow and turned a bit to stare at him. She motioned for him to sit down on the bed “Come on in Sugar, it’s okay..” A bit wary Ranma scooted in regardless, making sure to leave the window open a crack in case a quick escape was needed. He sat down carefully like he was afraid to disturb some sleeping person but Ukyo was now entirely awake although she was still laying there on her side with the covers bundled around her. 

        Now seated Ranma looked to Ukyo already somewhat impatient. Ukyo started out in a voice that could barely be heard but picked up as she went on, “..anm...nt....wou..d...come...I thought that you were just lying to me...” Ukyo’s eyes were starting to water now as she finished up “ ... I’m so glad you came Ranma.... I don’t know what I would have done....” Ranma’s attitude dropped down a bit as he started to feel bad for trying to get out of showing up. “It’s okay Ucchan, I showed, I always try and keep my promises.... at least to you...” Ranma couldn’t put his finger on it but something about this was starting to make him a little watery eyed too. He reached up and turned his head to rub his eyes so Ukyo would not see.

        There was some commotion on the bed as Ukyo sat up to be next to Ranma. Ukyo could almost feel his muscles tighten up from where she was and for a few moments she was sure he would bolt but he managed to hold it together. Now sitting next to him Ukyo lowered her head a bit, she was quite ashamed of what she did the day before, and what Ranma had seen not too long before that. Without warning Ranma spoke up a little, “You’re not naked under those covers or ‘nothin are you Ucchan?” he said trying to make it sound like he was joking but her fear filtering through. Ukyo giggled a little bit and moved the covers off herself, “Not really..” she said slyly. Ranma looked Ukyo over cautiously, eyeing the half-transparent getup Ukyo was wearing he had felt the flush of his cheeks and now his sense of modesty was kicking in overtime. For awhile they just sat there uncomfortable. Ukyo was the one to make the first move.

        Slowly she raised her right arm up and draped it across Ranma’s shoulders. He tensed up a bit but she felt confident that if he tried to run she would at least have a hand hold. Out of all the confusion in Ukyo’s mind she knew she had to do only one thing, get Ranma to feel more comfortable. *What can I talk about to calm him down?.... well... you can’t lose with martial arts...* Softly she called to him to get his attention “Ranma?” He slowly turned his head up toward her “Yeah?” “I heard you got in a big fight with Ryoga on Monday and that he nailed you pretty good.” Ranma froze up even more “Yeah... heh heh..” Ukyo smiled a bit “Well, tell me about it.”

        *Damn, she must have heard it from Akane.... of all the things for her to bring up!* Ranma let out a deep breath before starting in on his story “Well.... I was walking home from school..” Ukyo already had her own question, “Why were you on your way home, I thought that it happened in the middle of the day and that’s why you left early after lunch?” Ranma pretended to get a bit defensive “Hey! He just kind of attacked me okay, we were going to meet in a vacant lot and afterwards I was going to go home.” Ukyo understood and nodded her head to show that. Ranma stopped for a moment to put together a story, it was easy when you had as many fights to draw from as he had and already it was like the fight really happened “Anyways, I get to the lot, and of course Ryoga’s not there, so I settle in for the long haul....”

H=+=+=+---((:::::::::))---+=+=+=H

        “... but when pop gets his eye on somethin’ it’s hard to get him to think of anything else, so right when we were leaving the store he disappeared for a second then came back running. He was yelling ‘Time for more training, run m’boy!’ like he usually does when he steals something, but you see pop thought that he had a great plan to get away. Great plan my ass, he had us hide in a dumpster out back for eight hours, can you believe that?” But Ranma did not sound bitter, actually he finished with a little laugh. The two of them were now laying down on the bed staring at the ceiling, Ukyo sat up a bit to look to the clock. Ranma had been there for over an hour and she had actually learned a lot about him, plus she was enjoying just listening to him. However knowing how late it was he would be leaving soon. She decided to try and ask him one more question before he left.

        “Ranma honey, I’ve got a quick question for you.” Ranma smiled a bit, “Shoot” Ukyo tensed up, worried about his reaction, “Ran-chan...do you really think I’m cute?” Ranma’s face contorted like he’d been sucker punched. He bit his lip lightly *Jeeze, where did that come from...* “Well... uhhh.....” He turned to look at her to answer when it just came out “Yeah....” Simple as that the deal was done. Ukyo squealed with happiness, grasping both of her hands together and shaking her hips with a big smile on her face and when Ranma saw Ukyo’s smile, he felt his own smile come to his face. Then he saw the clock, “I’m sorry Ucchan, but I’ve gotta go.” Ukyo looked Ranma straight in the eye “I love you Ranma...” Ranma managed a crooked smile and sat up on the bed, “Yeah...” Then he stood up and looked at her before springing to the window, “It really was nice talking to you Ukyo.”

        Ukyo quickly stood up and grabbed Ranma by the hands holding them together between the two of them. “Ran-chan, I just want you to know.... what I was doing the other day was just me... loving you, without you...” Ranma felt a blush come to his cheeks again and he turned away a bit so he didn’t feel so embarrassed “Jeeze, you don’t haveta bring that up again…” he said bashfully. “I just love you Ranma...” Ranma pulled away from her a step or two more, preparing to jump out the window, but Ukyo stood up and grabbed him by the shoulder and turned him towards her. Feeling a little irate for not being able to leave Ranma thought about scolding her but Ukyo did something far from what he could have predicted. “Ranchan… if you ever want to be more then friends...” There was no subtle hint to her voice, she was ready for sex and Ranma was momentarily paralyzed. Slowly she reached between her legs then put those same fingers to Ranma’s face slipping them slowly across the skin under his nose leaving a trail of her juices.

        His brain was icing over quickly and control was pulling away frantically fast. “I’ve got to go..” At least he managed to get it out but he was not moving away from Ukyo at all. Ukyo gave it her all, putting all of her sincerity into her last words to her love, “I love you Ranma.... thank... thank you for showing up...” Ranma gave her a little nod and shook his head to clear his thoughts. Shivering a bit Ranma mustered his will power attempted to turn, took one step too many and fell out the window. Ukyo quickly peeked hear head out the window looking down at Ranma in a heep on the ground, she winced, but before worry could set in he gave her a big wave and shouted out, “I’m okay!” Ukyo sighed happily and pulled herself back inside the window and closed it, watching in the moonlight as Ranma sprinted away. “He’s not coming back... but… but this time if he comes back…” Reluctantly she went to her bed and laid down. Already reflecting on Ranma’s most recent visit like it took place decades ago, how secure he was, the openness between them. It just made her all the more depressed that she could see that side of him so easily yet she might never see it again, she started to break down, tears welling in her eyes, trying not to delude herself with thoughts of a happy ending. But she sniffled some and wiped away her tears, “I love him..” Just saying it out loud always made her feel a little better, no matter how things turned out. Puffy eyed and emotionally charged Ukyo settled in for another night of disturbed sleep.

X|||////////888~D~Saturday~D~888\\\\\\\\|||X

        Ranma’s normal progression from bed, to furo, to breakfast table, was once again reinstated. The day was starting out a bit slower then usual, partly because Ranma had decided to let his father sleep in a bit, in other words Ranma didn’t feel like fighting with him over breakfast and wanted to seem like the good guy about it. So, without the usual presence of another breakfast fighting martial artist, things were kind of timid at the table. Ranma was eating a bit faster then anyone else but it was not the leaps and bounds that normally became all too apparent. Instead his share was only a fraction more then what Akane ate. 

        It was overdue for Ranma to get some time off school and with the local festivities coming up he was getting his wish. He walked up to the sliding door leading toward the pond and opened it a bit to step out quietly, then he slid it shut behind him. It was still peaceful outside like it had been during the night. The sun was rising uninterrupted to the east and Ranma noticed that he could still see his breath in the morning air. “It’s getting kind of cold out lately...” Ranma rubbed his hands together for emphasis before starting a slow walk up to the koi pond.

        He sat down on one of the larger stones circling the edge and looked into the water. The koi were all buried in the mud under the bottom already settling in for the coming winter. The frosty air was starting to feel quite nice to Ranma so he let himself fall back to relax some more. Instantly he got the rush of the cold all over his body, to him, it felt nice. He laid there a few more minutes till the edge of the sun started peaking over the compound walls and glared directly in his eyes. *Oh well.... time to get up and do something...*

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        By the time lunch was approaching Ranma was firmly rooted directly in front of the television, but if you asked him what he was watching during a commercial break he wouldn’t be able to tell you. With the aid of TV Ranma’s day was just flying by, but it was about to hit a major slick spot. Even in his tranced out state Ranma still had the reflexes to turn around if he felt someone was coming his way. Being that Akane lived in the same building as him she had to eventually come into his area, but she was not alone. She had brought “Six Day Old Un-refrigerated Akane Lunch” with her, and it looked like her friend Mr. Un-refrigerated Lunch wasn’t feeling too well, his sides were all bloated out and green and dripping and sticky and.... Ranma could hardly believe his eyes, *There’s NO WAY she can even begin to think that thing is safe to eat!* But here she was walking his way with a huge smile on her face. 

        Meanwhile Ranma was already getting into the stages of sickness and he shivered in anticipation. Akane sat down next to him on the floor and smiled even wider “Ranma, I made you lunch!” Ranma gave her a doubtful look “That wouldn’t happen to be the same lunch you made for me earlier this week, would it?” Akane’s smile drooped down a bit before continuing “Well... yeah.. I uh.. saved it for you...” Akane blushed a bit and Ranma could tell his line of reasoning was lost on her. He figured he better go along with her rather then do something to upset her.

        He grabbed the box from her and almost lost it right there, he had misjudged the firmness and his fingers sunk all the way though to meet his palm on the other side of the box. He fought back the gag reflex and continued “Welll.. thank you Akane..” She smiled even wider “Well, eat up!” Ranma managed a fake smile in response as Akane peeled off the duct tape keeping the lid on, then the lid itself. Ranma could have sworn there were little insects crawling around in it but tried not to dwell that or even what it was, whatever it was it had long ago surrendered its heterogeneous texture in favor of the soupy, colorful, furry homogenous one. Ranma pretended to take a deep whiff of it by exhaling though his nose and closing his eyes, forcing his smile wider.

        “Smells great Akane.” Ranma was fighting back tears, being so close to it was burning his eyes like nothing else “I’m just going to go heat it up first okay Akane?” With that he got up to stand and took a step toward the kitchen. Akane got up and stood in front of him “Oh Ranma, I can do that for you.” She grabbed the box back, ignoring the black unctuous ichor flowing over the sides from its violent reaction with the air and went into the kitchen with it. Ranma expelled the last of the breath he had been holding and took a huge one to fill the gap. The ammonia smell was killer, he couldn’t keep this up, he held his breath in.... and ran for his life.

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        The sun seemed extra bright, almost like summer was coming back and Ranma was already readapted to the new micro-season he was experiencing. He took a path through the park and ended up at a secluded spot surrounded by a shallow grove of trees. He knew this area quite well and immediately sat down to relax. This piece of forest by his home was one of the few things that Ranma actually enjoyed about Nermia, mostly because it didn’t remind him of it, he missed the forested regions of China and Japan, too many people in the cities around here, things moved too fast. Ranma may have been the type to edge more toward speed but even he didn’t like to keep it up all the time.

        Meditating in the place that relaxed him the most he quickly centered himself. His worries about the outside world went away and he was just himself. He visualized himself high atop a mountain in one of the Chinese regions far away from Japan just as he always did. From there he could see for miles around, the lush jungle only occasionally interrupted by anything that might be considered human intervention. He imagined his problems as these specks far below him, a far off village bearing more then a passing resemblance to Shampoo’s own, and among these surroundings the Tendo Dojo did stick out a bit. From up here all his problems seemed so simple.

        There were no sounds except the wind sweeping slowly by his ears, everything was tranquil, the sun was exactly at its zenith over Ranma’s head and everything moved around him. Further down the mountain Ranma noted a small hut that had been slowly advancing and from the door an image of his girl half waved to him. One day he would come to terms with that part of himself and the two of them would be up here, then he would be totally centered with no internal conflict, but not yet. He let out a deep breath through his mouth and let himself relax even more. Down in the jungle he watched wildlife, birds, snakes, the jungle was full of vitality, but up here he was always alone, and happy.

        He turned himself a bit to a wooden closet standing strikingly out of place next to him. He stood slowly, if he moved too quickly he could break his concentration and would snap out of his meditation. The doors came open on their own accord when he reached his feet a deep blue light surrounded the contents. Inside were various implements of war, a naginata, straight sword, bo staff, and other weapons. But these were just surrealistic representations of his different fighting abilities. He put away his martial arts like an adult would keep a gun hidden from a child. If the need arose for him to fight he would dig into his war chest and pick his weapon. He slowly sat back down and the doors closed in response, the chest vanished from view just as his butt touched the ground.

        Once again he looked out over the land. It rose and fell slightly just as Ranma’s own breathing caused his chest to rise and fall. He turned to the west and stopped when his gaze passed over the Ucchan. It was much closer now, it was different too, brighter and cleaner. Ranma wasn’t really sure what to think, it was almost encroaching on the base of the mountain. He looked a little bit closer, *Where’s Ukyo?* He turned to his side to compare the Ucchan to his other half’s hut that was moving up the mountain when he heard something.

        “Ranma!”

        He quickly turned around and saw Ukyo running up the side of the mountain, not over ten yards from his current position. He stood up, shocked, “Ukyo?” She continued running and the world around him started to break apart as he began loosing his concentration. Before Ranma could figure out what to do Ukyo was already there holding him around the waist. He looked down at her loving face. “I love you Ranma..” Ukyo snuggled her face into Ranma’s midsection as his world of concentration faltered around him and the last thing he saw before coming to in the clearing was Ukyo looking up at him smiling.

-----<~~~<===<||ww/\^/\ww||>===>~~~>-----

        Upon arriving back in reality alpha (the only real one) Ranma was a bit confused, “What the heck was that about...?” Nothing like that had ever happened before, no one had ever gotten close to the top of his mountain and Ukyo had just run right up there like it was the most normal thing in the world. Ranma grabbed his hair in frustration “What could it mean?” He calmed himself and stood up. “Well, I am kind of in the mood for okonomoyaki...” So after figuring out that what seemed like a personal revelation was really just hunger pains he headed off to the Ucchan.

        “Hey ya Ranchan!” Ukyo shouted as Ranma walked inside, the crowd was kind of thin now that the lunch rush was over so Ranma easily got a seat at the end of the grill. The regulars were even so kind as to move a few seats away to give the ‘couple’ some extra room. Ranma sat down but Ukyo had already started on his okonomoyaki when she saw him walk through the door. So before he could even say hello he had a plate covered by an impressively made steaming okonomoyaki. Ranma did have something to say but when confronted with such a culinary creation Ranma’s rational thoughts went south for the winter and he started digging in. Ukyo had already served her other customers so she put on some more batter for Ranma’s second helping and used the time it took to cook to gaze longingly at Ranma. Her timing was perfect, just as Ranma had finished his first serving she had already finished cooking the second and it was on his plate before he could look up. Savagely he tore into this one and it was gone rapidly as well, Ukyo was used to this and she already had a rhythm going, the third okonomoyaki already on her spatula when Ranma sat foreword and held up his index finger indicating that he needed a moment.

        Ukyo was a bit caught off guard but set the okonomoyaki on the outer, cooler part, of the grill while Ranma forced down the rest of his food with an audible gulp. “Water..” he gasped out and Ukyo about smacked herself on the forehead for not thinking ahead enough. She reached under the grill, grabbed a cup, and filled it at the small spigot down there. She handed it to Ranma. “Arigatou Ucchan....” Ranma happily grabbed the water and drank it down in one big gulp and sat there recuperating for a few moments. Ukyo was happy to see Ranma and all but usually it was always the same, he would come, eat, and leave. Maybe it wasn’t just pity with me last night, *At least today he said thank you* she thought darkly.

        “So Ucchan, how are things going today?” Ukyo choked on her own saliva from the shock. *Ranma’s trying to make small talk!?* “Well... I’m doing okay, it was really busy earlier but, I can kind of relax now.... how about you Ranchan?” Ranma didn’t feel like giving any lengthy explanation so he just copped out “I’m doing okay.” Ukyo noticed the okonomoyaki still on the grill, “You ready for another okonomoyaki Ranma Honey?” Ranma licked his lips “Yeah, thanks Ucchan.” Ukyo looked at him weird *There it is again...?* She gave him the okonomoyaki and started to scrape the grill clean. But Ranma did not start to eat his okonomoyaki right away, he kept watching Ukyo. She was sweating from working over the grill all day and her arms were glistening under the florescent light, Ranma looked a little more closely at her arms *Nice muscle definition...* Her hair was stuck to her forehead but her bow was still holding the bulk of it back. Her face flushed a bit as she put some elbow grease on a particularly tough spot of the grill, Ranma’s heart started to beat faster *She really is my ‘cute’ fiancée..*

        “Ranma, your okonomoyaki’s getting cold.” Ukyo had managed to snap Ranma out of it quickly. He chuckled nervously, “Oh.. I was just waiting for it to cool down Ucchan.” Then he looked down and started eating. However he was eating quite slow and looking upward toward Ukyo and as she turned completely away from him, he looked up even more. Now her lower half was entirely in his field of vision. He could see the outline of her calf muscles through her clothing and his vision crept up a little bit more, by now he had stopped eating entirely. He was looking at her now with a slight smile. She turned toward him and had to physically do a double take “Are you staring at me Ranchan?” She said more out of disbelief then anything, a smile and blush on her face. Realizing what he was doing he didn’t say anything and just went back to eating trying to ignore whatever it was he was feeling.

        As soon as Ranma finished his plate he reached into his pocket. Not much money but some, he put all he had next to his plate. “Great as always Ucchan.” Ranma got up and started walked out the door smiling to Ukyo as he left. Ukyo just smiled back blushing a bit. She went over and picked up the plate and noticed the money. “He even gave me money... I don’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing..” She picked it up and put it into her pocket then went back to cleaning the grill. One of the older men at the grill turned to watch Ranma as he left through door “Ahhh... young love..”

-----<~~~<===<||ww/\^/\ww||>===>~~~>-----

        The day had wasted away and almost without warning, it was dark. The moon was just coming into the sky and Ranma was already laid out on his futon. But he wasn’t trying to sleep, he was waiting for everyone else to sleep. He had decided he was going to go out one more time and see Ukyo again. Waiting was the worst part, he listened carefully and one by one everyone went to sleep. With each person asleep the wait stretched out even longer and Ranma’s anticipation built. Finally his father and Soun decided to call it a night. He heard Soun brushing his teeth and his fathers heavy footsteps in the kitchen. By now Ranma was quite anxious. His heart was beating faster and faster as Soun and Genma prepared to sleep for the night.

        Finally his father came in, and as usual, showed no respect for Ranma. He turned on the lights and loudly consumed some sort of foodstuff. Occasionally he would try to talk to Ranma or wake him up, and Ranma would just ignore him, pretending to be asleep. Finally the old man turned off the light and nodded off on the floor. Ranma waited until he was sure his father was asleep and made his move. He sat up and pulled his shoes out from underneath his futon and slipped them on. He took another look at Genma, in the dim light he could still make out his basic form, rolled onto his side, the room stunk of sake. Ranma was sure he was out for the night. Ranma gulped and headed toward the window then stopped again. He looked around the room one more time, triple checking his father then slipped the window open. He stood on the track of the window, the dropped down while simultaneously shutting it. Before Ranma knew it, he was running again.

-----<~~~<===<||ww/\^/\ww||>===>~~~>-----

        As Ranma approached the Ucchan his run gradually degraded uniformly until he took one final step that put him directly below Ukyo’s window. Ranma looked up at the window panes hopefully. The full moon light shimmering off them, blocking the contents of the building from his view. *I know she’s not expecting me... but I really don’t think she’ll mind...* Ranma crouched down and lept into the air and into a nearby tree, using it as a springboard to get to the roof. He landed softly, his initial impact hardly louder then a cricket hopping, he had no doubt in his mind that Ukyo had slept through it. 

        He stood up slowly and walked over to the ledge above Ukyo’s window, his heartbeat increasing its rhythm. He licked his dry lips and sat down, then laid so that the upper half of his body hung over the edge of the roof. Ranma let gravity take effect and his upper half dropped so he hung in an ‘L’ Shape, starring into Ukyo’s window. Now with the added pressure on his chest his ragged breathing became apparent to him. Slowly though he found his center again and his eyes adjusted to the inside of the room. As far as he could tell Ukyo was most certainly still asleep. 

        Slowly he dropped his right hand down off the roof as well and gently rolled it into a fist. His movements were purposeful, concise, controlled, but a part of him fought against them the whole way. Ranma’s hand moved in closer to the window, then gave two raps to the glass in rapid succession. In Ranma’s mind the sound was defening, he yanked back his had almost like he had put it on a hot burner and watched inside not knowing what to hope for. Then he saw Ukyo move and his level of uncertainty trebled.

        Her slow movements were quickly replaced by her rapidly turning around to the window. However in her bleary, sleepy, state she attempted to turn her head a hundred and eighty degrees on her neck and almost fell off the bed in the process. Straightening back up she quickly pulled herself across her bed and opened the window. Without any mental provocation Ranma pushed off the roof with his feet and took a grip on the edge of the building, swinging around in a wide arc and landing gracefully on his feet inside in a crouching position, his pigtail coming to a stop against the back of his neck a moment later.

        All Ukyo could manage to say was, “Ranchan?’ Ranma picked up on her question and stopped moving, “I just figured you’d like to see me again...” He replied reflexively, giving both of them a bit of a surprise. Caught off guard, Ukyo started to sit up a bit more, her chestnut hair gathering at her back as she sat up comfortably, “Uh.. umm... well...” Ukyo had been officially struck speechless, and Ranma wasn’t much better, actually he seemed to be shifting to avoid the light from the window, whether by his martial arts conditioning or reaction of his own he was receding into the shadows, becoming less of a target.

        Ukyo brought her right hand up to her face and out from underneath her covers, it pressed hard into her cheek and she dragged the palm of it up and across her forehead, reddening it. Keeping a close eye on Ranma she started to come to herself and in the moonlight that lit her patch of the bed she finally broke from her near hallucinating dream state to find herself still in the same surreal predicament. Remembering the night before and using it for guidance she turned deliberately toward Ranma, tossing her long legs over the edge of the bed to dangle above the floor. She forced a smile and patted the spot next to her on the bed, “I.. well... Ranchan... It’s always good to see you, you know you’re always welcome here Sugar...”

        Wearily Ranma pushed himself into a standing position and stepped more into the light where Ukyo could see him, “Well... I really didn’t think you would mind anyways.” Ranma said as he made his way closer to her on the bed. He made it there without incident, paying careful attention to the floor to avoid the madrid of traps that seemed to lurk in her rooms tangled mess. He turned around, ready to sit down and blushed a bit, then redoubled his efforts and dropped onto his butt. The cushy bed gave a little bounce from the impact, but once again both Ukyo and Ranma were at a loss as to what to do next.

        With a somewhat secretive itinerary Ukyo’s hand snaked over from her lap to encompass Ranma’s hand. His initial reaction was alarm, evidenced by the immediate tensing up Ukyo felt in his body, but he quickly relaxed, and Ukyo had to hide her surprise and joy as Ranma squeezed back a little. “Soooo...” Ukyo started out slowly, trying to bargain for time, “... you know I wasn’t expecting you to show up tonight...” Ranma’s face quirked up a bit, *She’s acting like she didn’t want me to show up, I figured she’d be glad I was here, com’in of my own free will and all...* “I ... I just kept think’in bout you today Ucchan....” He said, intentionally adding a bit of charm, not because he felt that way himself, but because he wanted to see how she would react.

        Ukyo swooned a bit, she was suddenly thankful for the low light to hide her blush. Saying his name softly Ukyo leaned off to the side and allowed her body to press against Ranma’s, she cheered internally when he didn’t even flinch so she went a step further and put her arm around his back, her hand ending up at his waist. The aura of sleep permeated both of their consciousness’, a warmth of rest radiated from Ukyo and Ranma found himself falling into the comfort. “This is nice…” they softy said to each other in unison. Not wanting to fall asleep like the previous night Ranma shifted slightly to the side, eliciting a slight grown of dissatisfaction from Ukyo, then turned a little more toward her. *She’s just in normal pajama’s tonight..* Already a little more relaxed and re-assured that this would be a celibate meeting between the two of them Ranma finally realized that he would have to talk about something. The whole night leading up to this he kept putting off thinking about what would happen once he got to the Ucchan but he always thought to himself that he’d figure that out once he got there, but now that he was there Ranma was even more at a loss of how to lead the night.

        In the silence Ukyo readjusted her position to drape over Ranma again and gave him a kiss on the cheek, just a quick peck really but seeing no adverse reaction Ukyo gently cradled Ranma’s face and turned it to meet hers. Suddenly shocked out of thought Ranma couldn’t help but stare into Ukyo’s penetrating eyes. “I love you Ranma..” Ukyo slowly moved in and kissed Ranma fully on the lips. Her tongue gently pushed past her own lips but didn’t go further, she was content to run it slowly along the outside of Ranma’s lips, she could feel his breathing pick up, his exhales moving softly across her lips. He opened his mouth a little, breathing though it a little but Ukyo didn’t take advantage of it to go further, she trailed her tongue just along the rim of Ranma’s lips then pulled back. Ranma gulped audibly and took a few deep breaths. 

        “Ranma, you’re the only man I’ve ever thought about like this... I love you...” Ranma licked his lips, the wetness Ukyo left distracting him, “I really don’t know what I feel... there’s the honor and Akane, and ... it just ain’t simple Ucchan.” Ranma said semi pleading, wondering yet again what he expected from tonight. Ukyo moved in closer again, putting her arms over Ranma’s shoulders, “Ranchan, the first time I ever touched myself, I was thinking about you.. I’ve always thought about you when I was doing it, even when I wanted you dead..” She trailed off with a laugh, “Even though I hated you, I knew I loved you... I just... I couldn’t lie to myself about that...” Ranma blinked his eyes a few times, his vision becoming a bit sharper, reality starting to reassert itself in the gravity of the situation but still he could hardly believe the predicament he was in, that he had chosen to put himself in. 

        Responding slowly Ranma raised up his own arms and matched Ukyo in putting his arms over her shoulders as well. Sitting next to each other, holding each other, *Ucchan always seems so honest with these things.... but I ... I wish I could just...* But something Ukyo just said was sticking in his mind, her first time touching herself was thinking about him.... Honestly, he couldn’t remember the first time he touched himself, it wasn’t something that he did often, but it started almost instinctively, there was no real revelation. But to Ukyo there was, she remembered and she remembered him.... *The other night... my first time as a girl... with Ucchan....* Still holding Ukyo, his face contorted as he thought about it, *Doen’t mean a thing.. guys fantasize about stuff all the time...* 

        “What are you thinking about Ranchan?” The sudden question caught Ranma off guard leaving him struggling for an answer, “Uhhh.. I was thinking about...” *Think Damn it, Think!* Quickly he spouted the first thing that came to mind, “About you...” Ukyo frowned a little, it was somewhat of a lame answer. She compensated by hugging him a little tighter and Ranma did likewise on reflex. “Ucchan..” Ukyo perked up, “I was thinking about you...” Ukyo pulled away a little, “And..” Ukyo provoked trying to keep him going this time. “Ucchan... my first time... I was thinking about you too...” Ukyo pulled back shocked, “But you thought I was a guy!” Ranma braced his hands above his head to shield him form any mallet to the head, but none was forthcoming. Just silence. Slowly he moved his arms and looked at Ukyo who was giggling a little bit, “Ranchan, are you Yaoi?” Ranma’s face reddened and he started to get angry, “I’m not gay!” Ukyo stifled her giggling, a thought crossing her mind, “So this was recent?” Ranma didn’t feel much like talking, he just nodded his head brooding, “Uh huh”, Ukyo scratched her head.... “It’s a little hard to believe you went that long without ever, you know...” Ranma snapped back into defense mode, “It wasn’t my first time!”

        “But you just said..” Ukyo tried to look Ranma in the eyes but he turned his head so she couldn’t see his expression. She tried to move too so she could see his face but he kept one little bit ahead of her. “Ranchannnn...” Drawing out his name as a mother would to a child trying to keep a secret Ranma redoubled his efforts to keep from her line of sight. “How was it your first time...” Ukyo pressed on thinking she was on to something. Ranma gave up and turned to Ukyo, not wanting to tell her anything, but compelled to tell her, a need was there to tell her. “It was...” Ranma started out timidly, Ukyo moved in closer and tried to pull him down to the bed, fearing that he might flee after telling her his secret, or even worse, before. But Ranma fought against being pulled down and remained vertical. “Tell me Ranchan...” 

        “I was a girl...” He said simply, Ukyo’s face lit up with recognition, “It was your first time as a girl... and you were thinking about me....” Ukyo felt Ranma try to pull away so she tried to reassure him. “Honestly Ranchan, I’m flattered...” Ranma turned his head to look at Ukyo who gave him an honest smile that just pulled away his doubts and left him feeling light. “So you’re not gay, you’re just a lesbian.” Ukyo quipped with a smile and a laugh. “Hey!” Ranma pretended to be upset and pushed Ukyo to the bed. She retaliated grabbing Ranma’s hands and yanking them to the side, like one would do to rile a dog, and it was visibly making Ranma happier. Both of them kept this up for a few minutes until Ukyo struck and shoved Ranma in the chest with both hands, sending him off the bed and onto the floor. Ranma rolled onto his side quickly, grabbing his hip, “Owwww...” Ukyo immediately sat up and looked over the edge of the bed at her messy floor and Ranma in pain form falling onto it, “Sorry..” She managed to get it out with a smile but before she could attempt to do anything to rectify the situation Ranma bolted up again from feigning injury and pushed Ukyo back onto the bed.

        “OOOOff” Most of the air left Ukyo’s lungs from the impact on the mattress and Ranma straddled her, pinning her arms above her head, “Do ya give up?” He asked confidently. Earnestly struggling Ukyo realized she really had little chance to escape so she let her head fall to the side, “I am defeated.” She said in a melodramatic way. Ranma smirked and wiped off a little sweat then turned his body and fell laying at Ukyo’s side. They laid there next to each other for some time catching their breath until Ranma started feeling that it was getting to be time to leave. Ukyo could feel him next to her, she could tell that he was going to be leaving her soon, “Ranchan, do I have a chance with you?” Ranma bit his lower lip, immediately perceiving what Ukyo was asking, sensing his reluctance she tried to make the question easier, “I mean, you’ve got me, Akane, Shampoo, and Kodachi, do Shampoo and Kodachi even have a chance?” Ranma licked his lips again then rolled over to face Ukyo, “Promise you won’t tell Ucchan, as my friend Ucchan?” Ukyo nodded back, “I’m always your friend Ranchan....” Satisfied with that answer Ranma shook his head, “No, they don’t have a chance...” Ukyo felt a little relieved but that still left her with her major competition. 

        Ukyo rolled over towards Ranma, grabbing him in a tight hug, worming her hand under his back to keep him in place. She took a deep breath and her eyes watered a bit, her pulse quickened, “Ranma..... Ranchan, I am willing to do anything for you... if... if you choose Akane, of your own free will.... I will leave you to be with her... or... I will try to be the best damn friend you ever had.....” Ranma was shocked Ukyo was saying it out loud but he’d suspected that’s about how she would react, but he couldn’t figure out where she was going with this, “So Ranchan, I want you to tell me, should I be looking for property in another town, should I be packing up... the Ucchan...?” Ukyo was crying silently now, but still Ranma couldn’t figure out what to say so Ukyo continued, “Do I have a chance in hell...” She trailed off, her voice sounding beaten, the contrast between her feelings now and only ten minutes ago when they were happy wrestling together affecting Ranma vastly.

        “I don’t want you to go Ucchan...” Ranma blinked back some tears and let out a breath he’d been holding. The corner of Ukyo’s mouth tilted up in a little half smile, a partial victory. “Ranchan, don’t worry about my fathers cart, don’t worry about a pact between families, I want you to choose who ever will make you happy...” Ranma slowly moved his own hands around Ukyo’s body and pulled her closer into him. He could feel her sobbing softly. “ I know....” He said, sad that he understood what she would do to make him happy, especially if it meant without her. “Ranchan, I know I don’t have a dojo to offer you, but... I’m a hard worker, and I could make the money to get you one, the only real thing I have to offer you is myself. And...” Ukyo pulled away from Ranma and pulled off her oversized bed shirt while Ranma put a hand on the bed to brace himself to get up.

        “No strings attached Ranma...” She said hooking her boxers and pulling them down to her knees, kicking them off. Please Ranma, it’s all I have to offer you, and even if I don’t end up with you... I want you to have it..” *Spreading her legs slowly, moving her hand between them, spreading herself open, Eeeep!* “Ahhh!” Ranma scrambled back a bit shouting like Ukyo had pulled off a mask to reveal she was the boogie man. Even after the last weeks events Ranma was shell shocked from watching Ukyo. “We’ll never talk about it again, it will be a complete secret, I promise Ranma....” Ranma started rapidly shaking his head ‘No’ and stood up panicked, “I can’t.. I just... I ...” Ukyo sat up and buried her face in his midsection as he stood next to her, “Whyyy can’t you Ranchan!” Ranma just bit his lip unable to put into words what he felt. “Ranchan... no one will ever know... please... can’t you just pretend to love me?” 

        “I... I don’t know...” Ranma trailed off again and Ukyo pulled back as an uncomfortable bulge started to press into her cheek. “Ucchan... how do I know if I love you...” Ukyo let out a few stray tears but tried to give a little smile, “If you love me.... you should just know...” Ranma let out a few tears as well, “but I don’t know Ucchan... I don’t know anything!” Ukyo stood up along side Ranma and embraced him, “Don’t beat yourself up Ranchan...” Ranma moved a few steps away from Ukyo in response, “I don’t know what love is Ucchan.... I don’t remember my mom, and I hate my dad, how’m I supposed ta love you!” Ukyo took back those two steps Ranma just took and held him once again, “Just try it Ranchan, don’t worry, just love me.... no strings attached... just for tonight.... we never have to mention it again...” She stood up on her tip-toes making herself a little higher then Ranma, putting Ranma on the submissive end of the kiss. A passionate kiss on the lips, that caught Ukyo off guard when Ranma started to return it.

        *Just for tonight...*

        Looking into Ukyo’s eyes he gave a slight smile, “a... are you sure?” he asked in a voice that showed just how confused he was. Ukyo closed her eyes modestly and took a step back, dropping out her legs and falling on to the bed. “Ranchan...” She said softly opening her arms and legs, “”.. I’m yours..” It was almost too much for Ranma, *I feel like I’m gonna pass out...* Swaying a little Ranma managed to steady himself. Reaching down he let out his pants a little to accommodate the bulge and laid down next to Ukyo. 

        Ukyo was so happy she was nearly in tears. Ranma laid down next to her and she turned her naked body to face him, pulling him into a hug. “I love you Ranchan..” Ranma snuggled into her in response and she reached down and took one of his hands, guiding it to her breast. Ranma looked up at Ukyo shocked, “I know what I’m doin’.” Ranma said defensively. Ukyo gave a little laugh, “Oh, like you were gonna do that on your own Hon.” He smiled a bit in response and started tweaking Ukyo’s nipple. Ukyo took one of her hands and put it down between her own legs, and managed to get the other one between Ranma’s waist band and down into his boxers. One hand massaging her clitoris, the other firmly pulsing Ranma’s shaft. *I can feel his heart beat though it... and it’s so warm..* Ranma grunted a little, “Ucchan..” He said driving her on. Ranma moved his other hand between Ukyo’s legs, and after a little battle with her hand as to who should be there Ranma emerged victorious and inserted a digit into the wet mound.

        It felt odd, a good odd that she didn’t have her hand between her legs, but... it felt so good. “Ohhh Ranchan...” She cooed, suddenly very grateful that he had a ‘feminine side’. Ranma took this motivation and moved a little faster while Ukyo moved her other hand down between Ranma’s legs. Her arms forming a V where they came in form the sides, meeting at his manhood. Her leading hand was at the bottom of his shaft and about 3/4 up, and her other hand fully encompassed the head. Pulling on it a little and squeezing was certainly turning Ranma on enough but there was more she could do. Taking her right hand back she tried to spit in it, but failed, the saliva spattering out and the majority of it simply dripping out of her mouth. She took her hand back between his legs and put the now lubricated hand right over the head of his shaft. And gave it a twisting pulling motion. “Ohh!” Ranma said surprised, “Did that feel good?” Ukyo asked honestly wondering, “Actually, it felt like a little too much...” Ukyo bit her lip and nodded her head in understanding and moved her hand back down between his legs where she preformed the same action, but with a little less force behind it.

        Meanwhile Ranma had worked two fingers into Ukyo and was grinding his palm against her clit. The whole area was thoroughly soaked and Ranma couldn’t help trying a few times to get another finger into her, and after a few tries succeeded, an incredible tightness right around the base of the fingers where they entered, *I guess three is her limit.* The feeling were definitely starting to overwhelm Ranma, the room was quiet but all he could hear was the pounding of blood in his ears, his face felt hot, and so did any other part of his body exposed to the air and the heady fragrance of Ukyo was just making everything so surreal. He had to stifle gasps every few seconds from Ukyo’s work, he had to admit, she was a quick study. But he was equally pleased with the reactions he was getting from her. Until she pulled away.

        “Ucchan?” Ranma asked softly, worrying a little that he went too far, but she didn’t say anything. She sat up and scooted down the bed and pulled back Ranma’s pants, immediately his erection bounded upward sticking in the air, “...wow...” Ukyo’s reaction made Ranma smile a bit, *So it is big enough...* Ukyo took her hands and put them on the shaft again, laying down perpendicular to Ranma she deliberately stroked his member up and down, causing him to arch his back away from the bed. Ukyo clenched her teeth and picked up the pace a bit and Ranma had to reach down and grab the sheets,

        Seizing the moment Ukyo moved one of her hands to the slickness between her legs and put her mouth over Ranma’s member taking half the length instantly. “Tsshhhh..” Ranma drew in a breath reflexively and his back arched more but it slowly came back down to touch the bed as Ukyo waited for him to come back to the situation. “Ukyo! I pee out of there...” Ukyo lifted her head up and looked at Ranma, giving him a big smile, “Then don’t pee in my mouth okay Honey?” Realizing the absurdity of him urinating in her mouth he just nodded his head and laid back down. Ukyo meanwhile started teasing the top of his erection with her tongue, going round and round it with little teasing strokes a few times before taking the bulk of it back into her mouth while using her hand one herself feverishly. Involuntarily Ranma started bucking his hips slightly and Ukyo adjusted her pace to bob up and down with his hip actions. Which caused Ranma to only move faster. For a few moments Ukyo felt lost, she could feel the heat all around her, it was almost too perfect, suddenly it dawned on her that she had been forgetting to breath. Taking a deep breath though her nose her world came back into cool focus with her realizing that Ranma was getting close to being spent ,she pulled away leaving him bucking in the air for a moment before stopping.

        Rolling over onto her back and spreading her legs again she spread herself with her slick fingers, “Come on Ranchan, take me...” Ranma rolled to look at Ukyo, her spread pussy only a half meter or so from his face, it glistened in the moon light, as did her fingers and the whole area, it was magical, but.. “Ucchan... I...” Ranma didn’t know what to say but his thoughts were cut short as Ukyo sat up a little and grabbed his shaft, pulling it down between her legs, right to the entrance. 

        She held it tightly, preventing him from suddenly thrusting in if he had that off the wall idea, but rubbed the head right into the valleys of it, Ranma could feel her working it up and down along the slickness, just the smallest amount of him entering her. She pulled him in a little more, the head was almost totally within Ukyo, then she moved her hands away and put her hands on Ranma’s shoulders, “It’s all I have to give you Ranchan, I hope you like it...” She smiled a little, her eyes misting up and Ranma slowly started to press in. Ranma could feel it all around him, the walls of Ukyo were pressing just perfectly all around his shaft, and it was so warm, and soft... As he was going in, it felt like he could just keep pressing on forever, like he was on the threshold of a limitless treasure and it came as a sudden shock that he had actually finished pushing into Ukyo. 

        Reaching around Ranma, Ukyo grabbed one of her hands with the other and pulled Ranma in close. “I love you Ranchan...” Ranma pulled away a little so he could look in Ukyo’s eyes, “I...”, Ranma swallowed trying to continue, but his throat didn’t seem to want to work, so he gently moved foreword and gave Ukyo a gentle kiss on the lips. They laid there for some time motionless until Ukyo had to push herself into the bed and start Ranma thrusting, *Jeeze, he’s going to go soft if he doesn’t get to something!* But once started Ranma was focused. He pushed into Ukyo again and again, a smooth frictionless sensation on the removal, a wonderful pleasure on the penetration. Their actions till now had been silent but it was too much for either of them. Ukyo pulled Ranma tighter to her chest, crying out his name again and again, and Ranma, did likewise.

        It was one monumental thrust, that shifted the bed from its boxspring, that moved the whole bedframe tightly against the wall, that signaled Ranma’s climax. Ukyo could feel him, inside her, his heartbeat was inside her, it was so strong it was fighting over her own, and she could feel him vainly trying to press in deeper, he arched his back into her freeing up the spot above his entry into her and Ukyo took the opprotunity to move her own hand in and rub herself to push her over the edge. And together they cried out, holding the position for what seemed like hours, Ranma’s body gradually dropping down to the bed till he pulled out of Ukyo entirely and shifted onto his back, starring wide eyed at the ceiling. Ukyo said nothing, exhausted she moved herself to lay next to Ranma who reached over and draped an arm across Ukyo, and together they dozed off.

X|||////////888~D~Sunday~D~888\\\\\\\\|||X

        “Hummmm......”

        Ukyo stretched out some and yawned, her eyes fixed on the ceiling like something magical was going to happen there. Slowly she took a deep breath, held it, then sighed, turning her head to the side. *Eight forty-five... damn... forgot to set the alarm again.. guess I’m opening a little late today..* Ukyo grimaced at the thought of having to get out of bed at all but stretched a bit more then propped herself up, her elbow pressing into something unexpectedly warm and soft. Still a bit dazed but curious Ukyo twisted around a little a strange sense of unplaceable anxiousness slowly building up in her, and out of the top of the covers she saw her first confirmation, the end of a pigtail. 

        Ukyo’s smile matched the sun flooding into the room with its intensity as she tossed back the covers to revel Ranma sleeping there who was still entirely nude from the night before. Ukyo stopped, still happy but completely unsure as to what to do. Looking again at the clock she for the first time that morning felt just a tinge of dread. Ukyo decided however to go with the most natural impulse, to get dressed for the day. Being extra careful, and perhaps being a bit too cautious with respect to Ranma’s sleeping abilities Ukyo climbed out of bed and made her way to her dresser. But she made sure to keep an eye on Ranma the whole trip, somehow afraid that he was just feigning sleep until she looked away, then a repeat of the mad dash for the window the day before. 

        Despite her worry though Ukyo managed to get dressed without Ranma flinching so much as a muscle, his breathing regular Ukyo finally decided that maybe she should wake him as the weight of the situation started to press on her more and more. In just the short walk across her room to her sitting position by Ranma, Ukyo had felt her morale drain, her jubilance was gone, she woke up reveling in the day, opening her shop, relaxing doing what she did best, but... this uncertainty... she had wanted this but she never thought about the actual details of how... how this was going to work out *That’s it… if he wants to pretend like it never happened… no strings…*

        Initially she took a moment to admire Ranma, his innocent sleeping position, but she quickly found that her gentle attempts to wake him were not the most effective in the world. Actually, her gentle rocking of his shoulder appeared to be putting him into a deeper sleep as evidenced by the increasing volume in his sleeping sounds. Ukyo lightly bit her lip and wondered how best to wake her fiancée. It was so silent in the room that despite the abundant lighting she couldn’t even bring herself to talk, let alone yell at Ranma to wake up, so once again it fell to violence to get the deed done.

        Looking around a bit on her floor she actually found herself digging to get her battle Spatula out of the mess. This time though she didn’t try to keep the noise level down and Ranma slept right though it. Hefting it she dropped her butt back down on the bed and bonked Ranma on the head lightly, a solid thud resonated through the shaft of the spatula but no sign of waking from Ranma. Again she raised the spatula six or so inches and allowed it to drop, then a clang and it bounced almost back to its original position, drop, clang, drop, clang...

        A pattern was emerging that Ukyo started to pay attention to more then Ranma, “Hey!” drop... clang... drop... Ukyo was pulled out of her revive as the expected clang wasn’t there and was even more started to see Ranma grasping the lower handle of the spatula and looking perturbed. “Oh! Ranma..” Ukyo started out startled, Ranma softened his expression in return and let go of the spatula, looking around the room with a sense of wonderment. “Ucchan, did we... go all the way..?” Ranma finished making Ukyo blush that he could get the last part out, “Yeah... I guess we did..” Ranma finished the thought for himself looking his own body over and multiplying it by Ukyo’s blush.

        Turning to the side slightly Ranma spotted the clock, “Please tell me you’re clocks around here are fast Ucchan..” The color draining from Ranma’s face as he finished his thought, “Ranchan... I..” Looking down a bit from Ranma’s eyes to talk seemed to help but Ukyo still couldn’t finish her thought, suddenly she felt Ranma shifting and his face was once again in her tilted line of vision. “Ucchan... it’s too late now, they’re probably already looking for me...” Ukyo swallowed hard, “I know..” Ukyo looked up and Ranma rolled onto his bottom in a sitting position, their eyes locked for a moment then their gazes simultaneously adverted downward, they both let out a deep sigh, “We’re so dead..” They said as one.

        Ranma being the less distraught of the two perked up a little bit for Ukyo’s benefit, “Well, I could have done a lot worse then choosing you.” He finished with a little smile that Ukyo barely caught as she looked to see him. Ukyo couldn’t help but smile at that, feeling a bit more confident in herself, “You better believe it sugar..” She tried to finish in her usual confident tone but it faltered a bit. Ranma moved in a little bit to give Ukyo a hug, hesitating the whole way but before he could wrap his arms around her she pulled away and started talking in a fast almost hyperventilating tone, “You couldjust go home and pretendthat this never happened, I won’t everbring this upagain Ranchan!” Ranma shook his head lightly no, “I couldn’t do that Ukyo..” Ukyo turned back to Ranma, her eyes just starting to tear up, “But no one knows you’re here, it could just be a one night stand...no strings attached… remember?” She finished with a forced confident smile, but silent tears were running down her cheeks. Ranma straightened up a little, “Ucchan, you know me, do you think I could do that?” Ukyo’s face contorted a little, “Why, because of your honor...” She finished with a little sarcastic hint to her voice. Completely lost with the new heading to the conversation and feeling himself being drawn into a verbal trap he couldn’t think of anything else to say so Ukyo continued, “If honor’s so important to you Ranma then how are you gonna marry Akane with me around..” Ukyo finished with a little whine, her point made.

        “I... I was damned no matter what I did, from the very beginning Ucchan... and now I’m choosing you, if I were to be damned for anyone, you are the only one worth it...” Ranma paused wondering if his words for the fist time in a long time would not be misinterpreted and was relieved to see Ukyo rapidly looking happier. “Oh Ranchan!” Ukyo cried out, pulling Ranma into an embrace so fast his fighting instincts almost caused him to plant a haymaker on Ukyo. But he settled in quickly after that. 

        Sniffling a little Ukyo felt that wonderful feeling from earlier returning, as well as her other more advanced metal faculties. “So, what are we going to do about the Tendo’s, leave and never come back...” There was a sarcastic tone to the proposition, but Ranma could tell it was Ukyo offering an option just to gauge his reaction. He didn’t hide his response, and she could tell the proposition was on the table. Ukyo offered up another option, “You could go back home and you know, we could kind of let everyone get used to our friendship... growing.. over time, you know?” Ranma paled a little at the suggestion, “They’ll know right away what we did...” There was a defeat in his voice that Ukyo was not used to, one she didn’t want to let sit unchallenged. “How would they know Ranchan?” Ranma gestured to his body and was suddenly reminded of his nudeness, pulling up his knees a little he continued his train of thought, “This room smells like sex, I smell like sex, and I look like I’ve had sex!” Ukyo had to scoff at his paranoia, his hair was as groomed as ever, and, “You know you could always take a shower here.” Ranma fidgeted with his fingers some more thinking, “Well... I guess...” Sitting back comfortably again Ukyo felt a little smug now being the one in control until Ranma spoke up again, “But you have to go to the Tendo’s while I’m taking a shower..”

        “Gahh?!” Ukyo had to repeat Ranma’s stipulation back to him just to make sure she caught it right. “Me... go... there...” Ranma smiled back, “Weren’t you just telling me they wouldn’t be able to tell?” The little coy smile irked Ukyo, he had turned the tables on her so soundly, she had to wonder if he had lead her into this section of the conversation just to one up her but decided that it might be a good idea, “I guess I’ll head out in a minute, just let me make some okanomiyaki first so I can just say I’m coming over to deliver breakfast.” Ranma perked up a bit at the mention of food, “I’ll make you one before I leave too Ranchan..” Ranma licked his lips and hopped up, taking a sheet with him to cover his naughty bits, “Thank’s Ucchan, going to get cleaned up now.” Ukyo just waved good-bye, shouting out, “Wish me luck!” And barely hearing a muffled reply as Ranma closed the door behind himself.

        Again alone the situation started to re-assert itself, but she pressed on, never so hopeful or close to her dreams in her life, opening the window Ukyo leapt out somewhat eager. The running, leaping from rooftop to rooftop, endorphins, everything started to become simple again, a runners high started to kick in as Ukyo started to really get some distance between herself and her shop but there was something amiss. Like a rash was starting, she slowed and hopped down from the rooftops and between two buildings just as she was starting to really feel in control. Curious she reached down into her pants to adjust her boxers and found them almost soaked through in the front, moving her hand up and over the waist band so it would end up on the inside of the boxers Ukyo knew immediately what it was, Ranma’s seed soaking out, she wasn’t sure what to feel, a little comforted, disgusted, never the less she decided to ignore it and start running again, she didn’t have time to waste.

-----<~~~<===<||ww/\^/\ww||>===>~~~>-----

        “Ranma Saotome, you are a dead man...” Ranma mouthed the words slowly with a bit of grim irony as he stared at his reflection in the bathroom mirror. Splashing a bit of cold water from the basin onto this face he felt slightly refreshed, but only kept that feeling for a moment before the change overtook him. It was however, just a minor inconvenience, although he figured that he would think about this better in his girl form, there wasn’t time for that, it wasn’t the relationship he needed to think about, it was the fallout, because for one the relationship was clear, *I like Ucchan… and I will stick with her… feels nice to finally make a choice.* Smiling a little Ranma gave a sigh that came from beyond his years. Taking one last look in the mirror Ranma walked into the small shower and into the already running hot water, ending his gender difficulties for the moment.

        “Think.... think... there has ta be somethin...” Putting his hands to the wall on either side of the showerhead he leaned on them hard, his head downcast. Although deep in thought all he could picture was himself facing off against Akane, the both of them ready to fight, flashes of combat. Then there were others, fighting his dad, and Ryoga, and Shampoo, and Cologne.... “Damn it, I can’t fight my way out of this! I have ta actually think of something this time.... there has ta be somethin... there just has to be.” 

-----<~~~<===<||ww/\^/\ww||>===>~~~>-----

        With a final leap Ukyo cleared the wall to the Tendo compound. Outside the dojo still looked peaceful and the slight hint of dew on the ground was overall undisturbed, maybe some light foot traffic from the front door Ukyo observed. Steadying herself and taking a deep breath Ukyo walked around to the front door, paying careful attention to any sounds that may have come from inside, but aside from the barely audible sound of a television and someone in the kitchen there was nothing. 

        She gave the door three quick knocks, and wagered mentally that if someone didn’t answer the door by the time she got to five Mississippi that she would just go home. The bet was lost almost instantly though, the door swinging open quickly, Nabiki standing there, the hint of a smile she had gone as soon as she spotted who it was at the door. “Morning Ukyo.” A slight friendliness to her tone that one would be accustomed to coming from a familiar stranger. Ukyo bowed slightly, “Morning Nabiki.” She finished off with a weakly fake but overall genuine smile before continuing, “Did Ranma leave for school yet?” 

        Suddenly Ukyo knew Nabiki figured something was up and that feeling doubled as Nabiki started talking with a trivial sarcastic tone, “Well, normally he would be here, being that Ranma doesn’t attend school on Sundays, and that it wouldn’t normally start for another hour anyway, but well, it looks like Ranma left somewhere last night and didn’t come back, and Akane seemed very angry about that when she barged into my room this morning, as a matter of fact she’s out looking for him right now, you wouldn’t happen to know where his is, would you?” She finished with a smile, always that same smug smile that Ukyo hated to receive so much, still, Ukyo cursed internally for messing up what day it was, however she also noticed that Nabiki didn’t seem upset in the slightest, just a little playful about the subject, of course that didn’t mean she was going to tell her anything, “No, I haven’t heard from Ranma at all....” Ukyo finished batting her eyes a little bit trying extra hard to act innocent. Nabiki smiled back noticing that Ukyo had been referring to Ranma in a formal manner, “Well that’s too bad, I’m assuming you’re going to leave now to hunt for him too? Just keep us informed if you do happen to see him.” The little wink at the end showed Ukyo more then anything that Nabiki wasn’t buying a bit of the story, but still she had to press on, “Actually, could I see Genma for a minute before I go?” Nabiki took a step back, bowed, and motioned her through like her life revolved around escorting guests around for Genma, Ukyo graciously stepped in and started walking toward the Go table.

        Genma looked up a little startled as Ukyo entered his peripheral vision; apparently he somehow missed her short discussion with Nabiki and was left wondering just how Ukyo got in the house. Immediately turning away to look to the kitchen he found Soun nowhere in sight and only when Ukyo moved right in front of him did he acknowledge her, “Oh, Ukyo, what are you doing here?” Ukyo kicked her feet around not really looking at Genma, basically just talking to herself, “Well, I was in the neighborhood and it’s such a nice morning, I just wanted to see how things were around here.” Genma let out a sigh of relief that she wasn’t dredging up the past before starting, “You’re sure right Ukyo, it is a beautiful day outside.” Trying to keep the conversation on track she continued on, “I mean, I could go jogging, or train, maybe even if it gets warmer later go for a swim...” Happy to keep things moving Genma continued, “Oh, it would be an great day to fish or go to town or anything.” Ukyo gave a little devilish smile before continuing, “It would be a great day to sell okanomiyaki from a cart too.” Genma nodded, “Indeed, there is nothing better then okanomiyaki straight off the cart...” 

        That is when Genma’s eyes met Ukyo’s and he froze. Pressing her advantage Ukyo continued, “Or it would be a great day to sell okanomiyaki from a cart if you hadn’t have stolen my dowry!” Genma’s hands went to the floor and he started back peddling on his butt as Soun walked into the room and sat down across from where Genma had been sitting. “So when am I going to get my dowry back Genma!” Thinking quickly Genma blurted out, “It’s a dowry, you don’t get it back, it was your payment toward Ranma..” Ukyo took a few steps closer toward Genma, “Oh yeah? But Ranma is also engaged to Akane…” Genma went to blurt out anything to save himself again but this time it was Soun who locked eyes with Genma, giving him a little boost of confidence, “Well, technically your engagement is valid, but the arrangement with the Tendo family is older...” Ukyo moved in yet again, “So I get my dowry back?” A definite voice of hatred cloaked under her guise of reason, “No, I said technically your engagement is valid....” Ukyo wasn’t falling for his double talk, “So what if Ranma chooses me?” This got Genma to sit foreword a little bit, back on the offensive, “He wont, honor demands that he marries a Tendo.” Ukyo’s eyebrow twitched a little and her mouth quirked up, not surprisingly angered she asked again, this time making her question less open to interpretation, “So, what IF Ranma chooses me?”

        There was a pause, longer then before, Genma crossed his arms and lowered his head in thought for a moment, then looked back up to Ukyo, “I know my son and he will not choose you, you are his friend and nothing more...” Nodding sagely Genma stood up again, making sure not to look at Ukyo and made his way back to sit across from Soun at the go table. To describe the look Ukyo had as angry would be an understatement, it was downright homicidal. Eye twitching a bit she walked over to stand between the two men on the side of the table, “Well I’ve got bad news for you Genma...” she paused again, a quirky smile pulling at the corner of her mouth, she reached down into her leggings and into her panties. The two older men stared in shock as she scooped out a bit of Ranma’s seed from the night before just out of their sight. She pulled her hand out, careful not to scrape any of it off then flicked her finger toward the board a white blob of gel landing with solid *Thump*. Genma and Soun went white as well a both afraid to breath, “He chose me... live with it!” And with that Ukyo turned toward the garden door and walked away slowly without saying another word. Realizing what it was Genma could hardly get out the words to describe the situation, “This is not good...” 

-----<~~~<===<||ww/\^/\ww||>===>~~~>----

        On one hand Ukyo was happy, liberated, free, but on the other all she could think about was how everyone else would take this, how Ranma might suffer, how Shampoo and Akane would take this, and how many attempts there may be on her life in the future. And be it coincidence or fate it was right when she was thinking about the latter that she saw Shampoo coming her way fast by way of the roof top road.

        Not sure where things might go or what Shampoo knew Ukyo was still confident the right choice to make would be to stand her ground. So she did, and Shampoo predictably altered her path to meet up exactly where Ukyo was standing. The bike was coming in fast, too fast, Ukyo got in a defensive position ready to attempt to counter anything Shampoo could open with. But it all happened too fast and before she knew what was happening Shampoo had stopped less then a millimeter from Ukyo and had reached foreword quickly, grabbing her by the hand before she even knew what was happening. Then she did have time to figure things out, once she got a visual confirmation that Shampoo wasn’t trying to give her some skin absorbed poison that is.

        “Why are you shaking my hand Shampoo?” Shampoo in turn gave a big smile, “Shampoo congratulate Spatula Girl for getting Ranma from dirty tomboy Akane.” “Huh?” Ukyo had to take a second to compose herself, “You’re telling me you’re happy I got Ranma... wha.. how’d you even know...” Shampoo bit her lip a little bit, a rose blush covering her upper cheeks, “Shampoo been following Ranma every night, is so romantic!” Flabbergasted Ukyo tried her best to keep the questions coming as she had so many of them, “But... I thought... you, Ranma... together...” Shampoo nodded her head, finally looking a little downcast, “Yes, Ranma supposed to be Airen, but Ranma choose you, as long as he not end up with Bitch Akane, Shampoo only care Ranma happy.” A few tears came into the corners of her eyes but she still managed a smile. Ukyo, thoroughly surprised managed to lean foreword, and although a bit leary of a trap, decided to hug the Amazon, and was surprised to feel her hug back just for a moment. 

        “Shampoo really like Ranma, so no want to kidnap like Great Grandmother wanted... tell Ranma Shampoo sorry she not good as wife.” Shampoo parted from Ukyo, Ukyo swallowed, “So, I take it you’re going back to China?” Shampoo nodded, “Without Airen, Shampoo have no reason to stay in Japan, Shampoo need genes of strong man to take home, and no strong men in Japan except Ranma.” Ukyo gave Shampoo a bit of a wicked smile, “If it’s genes you’re after, there is a whole wad of them back at the Tendo dojo on the Go board, maybe you should stop by there before you leave.” Shampoo’s smile also turned a little malicious as she caught Ukyo’s drift, “Maybe Shampoo will...” With a mutual wink and a little laugh they went their separate ways again.

-----<~~~<===<||ww/\^/\ww||>===>~~~>-----

        “Ranchan!” Quickly turning from the dresser Ranma was surprised to see Ukyo hunched over, winded, and completely frazzled, standing in the window. But with his initial shock overcome he ever so subtly shoved both of his hands behind his back, shuffling around before speaking, “Ucchan.... so... how did things go?” Ukyo felt that Ranma was hiding something and glowered at him, but quickly her train of thought found her again, “The shit’s hit the fan big-time Ranchan... we’re going to have to leave or somethin’ Suga...” Ranma’s face drooped a little, making him look significantly older then he was, “How’d they know...?” Without really realizing it, Ukyo immediately started fidgeting, playing with her fingers, looking downcast, and generally looking like she may have somehow been the source of it, “Ucchan...” Ranma said trying to coax an answer out of her, somewhat chidingly. 

        However Ranma’s answer was not forthcoming, “It doesn’t matter, we’ve got to go!” Ukyo rushed to her closet and rummaged around for a moment, emerging with a suit case. Tossing it on the bed open, Ukyo proceeded to throw things from the closet straight into the suit case from across the room. It took a moment for the full situation, his feelings for Ukyo, the things he did to Ukyo, and the fact that people already knew, to really sink into Ranma’s head. But once it did, he knew exactly what to do, breaking into a run toward the closet he shouted, “Let me help, it’ll go faster!”

X|||////////888~D~One Month Later~D~888\\\\\\\\|||X

        The air had become much colder in the last month, but the light sputtering of snow on the ground, and the darkened overcast sky only reinforced the deepness of the winter. Ranma walked hand in hand with Ukyo down the center of the street, their striking colors really set off by the miserably drab backdrop. Ranma gathered his breath, temporarily saving it from its fate as a cloud of frost, “Well... at least it looks like we’ll both graduate on time...”. Ukyo kept looking straight ahead as she walked, apparently uninterested in the conversation, “I have to admit, I was surprised you were going to graduate at all.” Ranma growned, it irked him when Ukyo brought up his academic abilities, “It’s not like... I mean...” Ukyo smiled a bit, turning toward her fiancée, “You’re right, it’s not like you can blame your complicated life any more, so that means you’ll do so much better in school, right Ranchan?” Ranma growned and turned back toward the road, trying to spite Ukyo with a moment of inattention but leaving her unfazed.

        As the roof of their new school started to stand overtop the roofs they were walking near Ranma couldn’t help but think about the others, “I wonder how everyone else is do’in... well, not Pop’s, we know how he’s do’in.” Ukyo closed her eyes in thought for a few moments, remembering her last moments with Shampoo on the rooftop, on a day that seemed to her so far passed, “I hope Shampoo got through everything okay at her village, she’s the only one I worry about, I mean, they could kill her Ranchan.” Ranma shook his head, “I doubt it, she’s one of their best warriors.” Ukyo followed up quickly, “What about her Jusenkyo trip then?” Ranma cringed a bit, both at the punishment and at the mental images of cats, “I think that’s about as bad as it gets, Cologne thought she deserved that, but she won’t let em kill Shampoo.” 

        The silence set back in quickly. It wasn’t that they didn’t have anything to talk about, it was just that the silence of the world, the fresh show, the lack of activity, it was just an environment conducive to silence. Drawing into himself Ranma kept going over the last few weeks, the time in the mountains with Ukyo, the visit to her father, and he wasn’t going to forget his return to the Tendo dojo for the rest of his life. His father blaming him, blaming Soun, and Soun shooting accusations at the both of them right back. And Akane, Ranma knew when she came in there was still a spark there, but the bulk, the heat that had always been there between the two of them was gone. All they managed to one another was a hello. He had gone alone, insisting that it would be easier if Ukyo didn’t come with and parade him around like he figured she would. And he was right in doing that, things went smoothly for once with the infighting between Genma and Soun taking up most of the atmosphere. Ranma figured it was odd that Nabiki had opted to stay in her room the whole time he was there, and Kasumi wouldn’t meet his gaze. But, he figured things couldn’t have gone better. Still, even though he had made his choice, there was an emptiness as he closed that chapter of his life. His first real home in over ten years.

        Pulled from his memories by a physical tightening of the grip on his hand, he turned to look at Ukyo, and smiled back at her beaming smile. “You’re always think’in about somethin’ lately Ranchan.” Ranma gave his head a little shake and looked ahead, “It feels like I got more time now... I don’t feel rushed no more...” Ukyo nodded then stopped, pulling Ranma to a stop as well, then twisting the motion to wrap him in a hug. Ranma initially tensed then relaxed, returning the hug a little around Ukyo’s waist. Ukyo was hugging Ranma, putting his body dipped down a little, his face an inch or two below Ukyo’s, they held each other that way for a moment then Ranma gave a little surge foreword, kissing Ukyo on the lips, their gazes locking after he pulled away, “I love you Ucchan.” Ukyo blushed and reached around to her back, for a spatula that wasn’t there, so she settled on looking at him lovingly, “I know Ranchan, and I love you too.” 

        They parted a little then without warning Ranma pushed away fully. Ranma quickly trying to put himself into a sprint, “Race you to the school!” Already a quarter block away Ukyo knew she didn’t have to catch him. But then again there was always the fun of trying, and she knew that no matter how far he ran, he would always come back to her. She still had to wince though as he slipped on a patch of ice on the path ahead, which caused him to careen into the guardrail of the bridge, which flipped him over, and straight into the icy water. Ukyo rushed up to the edge of the bridge, careful to keep her speed low in the slippery conditions and looked over to see Ranma pulling herself out of the water looking miserable. “Ranma! This is the third time this week you’ve done this, if I didn’t know better I’d say you were purposely doing this so you didn’t have to go to school...” Ranma bit her lower lip and her eyes teared up a little, “But Ucchan.... I’m cold, and wet.... and I’m a girl.... I don’t wanna go like this...” Ukyo sighed deeply, “Okay, let’s go home, but we’ll have to get our homework this afternoon...” Ukyo conceded, mentally tallying up the rapidly mounting homework assignments.

        Ranma hopped up on top of the bride to be in one fluid motion and immediately latched onto Ukyo’s arm, her cold damp clothing permeating Ukyo’s light jacket, chilling her to the bone as well. “You know, if I didn’t love ya so much, I’d hit cha.” Ukyo joked, as Ranma moved in for a kiss, catching her off guard a little, Ranma’s ice cold lips pressing into her own hot lips. The sensation actually catching her breath in her throat. Ukyo stopped walking and looked down at the girl clinging to her arm, soaked to the bone, nipples coming through the front of her shirt, meanwhile Ranma had looked up, and recognized a look she still wasn’t used to seeing, Ranma tried to hide her feelings of being objectified by a joking tone, “So, ya wanna experiment later...” Giving an exaggerated wink as she finished, but Ukyo didn’t sound too joking, “Ya know Ranchan, I’ve never, never felt this way about a girl before, but you, you’re so beautiful... and natural... and ...” Ranma was suddenly panicked with the way Ukyo was speaking, where she was going with this, “But... Ucchan.... you’re a girl, and I’m a guy... and we..” But Ranma’s argument was cut off by a deep kiss from Ukyo, one that knocked Ranma out of her senses, “Come on baby, I’m takin’ you home.” Ukyo said in her most chauvinistic voice, then proceeded to sweep Ranma off her feet, to carry her in her arms. Ranma managed an “Eeepp!” But couldn’t find the words for anything else, as Ukyo carried her home to do things that Ranma had hardly dreamed of.



The End




Authors Rant:



Okay, to make this work, Akane had tended to ignore Ranma a bit more. Also Ranma was a little more unsure of himself and Ukyo was a bit more depressive but I hope I wasn’t totally OOC with everyone. So what did everyone think? I know I am going to get a lot of “Where was Kuno, where was Kodachi, where was Ryoga (actually there was a fight I think in there but no details were given and he showed up in pig form), where was Moose? Yeah, I can’t put everyone in because I can’t write that well and it would have detracted from the story line, assume they are all there in the background somewhere. Also many people probably are wondering about how everyone took it, I tried to get in how some of the Tendo clan were taking things and I put in Shampoo’s perspective (a little too understanding if you ask me, Ukyo better watch out in the future.) But it’s done and I don’t think it turned out bad. But compared to some of the great Ukyo gets with Ranma fanfics, notably “I like Ucchan” by Donny and all of Zen’s stuff I feel lame (And of course the short gems by Ukyo Kuonji). I’ve been around a long long time and I’ve seen some awesome fanfiction so I’m just glad to give back to the fanfiction community.

        7 Years in the making, boy oh boy do I write slow, like, hella slow. Finishing this at 3:30 in the morning on a college night, terrible. But, it’s done. And ironically enough I finish the ‘final draft’ at 3:33 in the morning on a college night 1 day shy of exactly 8 months later. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this much more then I enjoyed writing this and if you want to contact me you can do so by sending e-mail to Rob.Vincent@gmail.com or you can look at more of my fanfiction by going to http://www.destructve.com/rvincent and clicking on the link for it, I have some more Ranma there and Slayers so I hope you enjoy that stuff too. So, I hope you all have a great night and don’t hold anything against me, Thanks,

RVincent


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Massive Revision 102405



Original opening:



I don’t even have the story written and I’m already doing my author’s rant. Straight-foreword lemon warning/hentai disclaimer, don’t read if you are under 18 or offended by sex. Comments/Flames are of course welcome, I’ll read anything you send me, I get lonely. Uhhhh.... I didn’t do that one thing where you try to introduce the character by describing them and have the person guess who it is your describing, we’re all Ranma fans here and we should know what the characters look like, if you don’t then you should buy more anime. That’s about it, look for more of my author crap at the end.

Out line



((Story starts off at Furinkin High School. Ranma says to Ukyo that she’s cute or something.))



The air was getting a chill to it, and just by stepping outside you could tell winter was almost there. Although autum had been unusually warm, it seemed winter would be taking up the slack this year. Already there was a frozen dew on the ground that remained for a good portion of the day and most everyone had taken to wearing long sleeved thick shirts. 



However Ranma was never one to let the elements dictate his attire, and it would come as no surprise to know he wore his usual red Chinese outfit without a second thought. Akane on the other hand seemed to be faring less well with the weather and had taken to wearing a constricting scarf along with a pair of knitted gloves.



This time of the year things became a little more normal around Nermia, less fighting, and overall less craziness. Maybe it was the cold, as it was in Kuno’s case. When Ranma and Akane got to school he wasn’t waiting outside, instead he was inside with everyone else enjoying the heat. Regardless, activity in Nermia was so low that Ranma managed not to even notice Ukyo running up behind him until she ran right into him, sending him and her to the ground. 



Upon seeing this, Akane took a moment to pull back her glove to take a look at her watch, then turned towards the doors and went into the school without a glance back. Ranma jumped to his feet with all the skill of a life long martial artist, landing with such grace as to make an Olympic judge blush although the perfection of his movements was marred by his quick mouth.



“What the heck are you doing running into me like that Ukyo!?” Ukyo stood up shakily and pushed her hair to the side of her face. “I didn’t mean to, sorry Ran-chan.” she said as she turned and ran back toward the school. Ranma stood there for a moment then ran after Ukyo, cutting her off in front of the school then spinning around to face her. She stopped and starred at him and shock. Then he asked, “What’s up with your eye?”



Ukyo reached up and touched the eye patch that she was wearing, and she began to remember what happened last night......



She was working in her shop and a customer had asked her to make a special hebrano pepper okonomoyaki. So she mixed the batter, being sure to throw a couple of the spicy things into it and poured it on the griddle along with a dab of sauce. When it was cooked on the one side she flipped it over, which flung a bit of the pepper straight into her eye. “Ahhhh!!! My eye!!”



.....Ukyo spoke up “It kinda happened when I was training, one of my spatula’s got loose and pinged me in the eye..” Ukyo laughed awkwardly and forced a smile. “Which part caught ya? I hope it was’nt the blade.” Ukyo thought quickly “Uhhh.. yeah, the blade got me..” Ranma fake grimaced “It must look nasty under that patch.” Ukyo could feel tears welling up, *Ranma said I look nasty..?*



Suddenly it became clear to Ranma, whereas he figured it was just a conversation between two friends, when he seen the tears starting to form in the corners of Ukyo’s eyes he was quickly reminded that Ukyo was indeed female and he had done/said something to upset her. So in order to make her happy he had to think of something fast. He decided to go with the tried and true method of soothing a savage Ukyo. “You know it’s cute.” Ukyo was dumbfounded “Wha...whaa?” she mouthed limply. “It’s cute, you know, you’re eyepatch thingy..” at that moment the bells started chiming. “See ya” and Ranma was gone, leaving Ukyo frozen (not literally) in the cold.



((Lunch comes around and Ranma goes off to find Ukyo to get food or something. He decides to check her shop because sometimes she goes there for the lunch crowd. There is a sign on the door that says something about coming back in 15 min but Ranma ignores it because he doesn’t think that its meant for him.))



Real End!

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